The Accidental Elemental
by Bibiana-The-Bookmaker
Summary: Lei has a heart as cold as stone, and no one feels the sting of that more than Astale's newest accidental resident Mysti. Do her unusual powers of healing apply to matters of a broken heart? Lots of blushing, and a kiss here and there...
1. A Fall to Remember

_Well...here I go again...starting another fic. Maybe I'll actually finish this one, eh? Oh, and I don't own Meru Puri, duh!_

--

**Chapter One**

"Uh...hi there," Mysti waved and smiled sheepishly at the disconcerted young man standing in front of her. He was breathtakingly beautiful, with silky hair the color of honey and sharp eyes the color of pale blue moonlight. He glared at her in a somewhat angry manor and sighed.

"You've broken my desk, peasant girl, and you've scattered my papers to the four winds," he waved a ring-clad hand and murmured a low chant, and Mysti had to gasp as she watched paper and fragments of wood reassemble themselves. She screeched as the desk she'd fallen out of the sky and landed on popped back up right underneath her, tossing her up into the air so that she landed flat on her back in front of it, the skirt of her school uniform tossed up to her chin. She lay there for a few seconds, dazed. When she'd tripped and fallen over the guardrail in that old castle she'd been touring, she'd landed in the fountain at the ground floor. She'd fully expected to die right then and there, as she'd fallen at least three stories and the fountain was only a foot deep with a seven-sided mirror set into the bottom. Instead she'd felt her fingers barely make contact with the mirror's surface, then slide right through. She'd fallen some more, then landed on something very hard. It had turned out to be this very irritated man's desk, and she'd snapped it right in two, scattering his papers everywhere and destroying an ornate sculpture of a rose.

"Are you still alive down there," the man asked in a tone that said he really couldn't care less, "I can see up your skirt, in case you cared."

With a small screech, Mysti scrambled to her feet and yanked her skirt back into its proper place, blushing scarlet. She glared at the man, who seemed less than apologetic that he'd brazenly ogled her favorite pair of black, lacy panties. Most guys would've at least tried to help her up, or apologized at the very least. This man simply stared at her as if he'd seen many other, more exciting things in his life, and her choice in underwear was not one of them. _**He looks like he's about ready to yawn in my face! The jerk!**_

Then the fact that he'd only just waved his hand and everything she'd broken had been repaired as if by magic sunk in, and it was her turn to stare at him. Not with boredom though...

"I believe you should begin explaining why it is that you decided to fall out of thin air onto my desk," the man said, sounding bored, "it will determine if you are to be imprisoned, or if I should just throw you out of the castle."

Mysti did her best not to let her anger show, as she had a massive temper and often had trouble holding her more violent urges back once she let it loose. _**Well, **_she thought, stunned, _**he makes it sound as if I did it on purpose.**_ "It was...an accident," she mummered, "I...ah...fell over a banister into a mirrored fountain and..."

"Mirror?" suddenly he looked interested, and he was in front of her in the blink of an eye, his hands grasping her upper arms with vise-like power, "Tell me, how many sides did this mirror have? Answer now!"

For a moment, all Mysti could focus on was the fact that he had such beautiful, sad eyes. It was stupid, especially when he looked as if he were about to shake her to death and his fingers were digging painfully into her flesh. She should answer his question. Instead, she opened her mouth and asked him a question.

"What is your name?"

For a moment he appeared stunned. It was an odd look on his face, as if he didn't wear the expression often. Then he recovered and glared at her angrily, "My name is not important at the moment. Tell me how many sides the mirror had before I lose my patience, peasant girl."

Annoyed, Mysti shoved at his chest and he released her. She took a step back and answered sarcastically, "A mirror has two sides, one that shows your reflection and one that rests against a wall. Sometimes you can find mirrors with two reflective surfaces, or even some that distort your reflection..."

He appeared irate at her blatant disrespect and spoke through clenched teeth, "Don't play stupid with me, peasant girl. I asked how many _edges_, not _faces_, and you know it."

"You said sides," Mysti retorted, deliberately acting flippant, "how could I have been sure..."

"Semantics are unimportant," the man replied sharply, "and you are severely trying my patience. If you decide not to answer, then I shall compell it from you and have you forcibly escorted to the other side of the palace walls. It's your choice." Their gazes met and they stared each other down for a moment. He looked ready to reach up and grab the sword hanging on the wall behind him so he could whack her a good one with it. Now, normally Mysti wasn't one to challenge people who obviously had more power than her. She was good at keeping her head low and staying invisible. However, in this case, the way this angry, bitter young man addressed her didn't sit well at all. It made her want to raise her head and shout at him, to lift her fists and pound something as if to declare that she was through just absorbing the blows without retaliation. And if he called her "peasant girl" one more time, she really would try to deck him.

"Fine," she growled, conceding victory in the battle of wills they were waging, "there were seven _edges_, if you must know. If you'd just asked nicely instead of trying to intimidate me, maybe I would have answered faster."

"Seven," he mummered to himself, "are you positive?"

Mysti snorted in an unladylike fashion, "It was all I could see for the three whole miliseconds I spent falling three stories to the ground. I'm pretty sure it had seven edges and a mirrored bottom that shows every detail of your face when you look down into it. I look like a dork when I'm freaking out..." She trailed off when he whispered a spell and shot up into the air toward the multiple support beams that held the roof up over his office. He hovered right over where she'd fallen and began examining the aged wood and stone. His eyes widened a second later and he used the tip of a dagger to dig something small out of a wooden support beam. He held the object in his right hand as he floated gracefully back to the floor.

"I don't believe this..." he appeared to be in shock, "how could we have missed it?"

"Missed what?" Mysti asked, not expecting an answer. She peered closer at the object and discovered that it was a small, palm-sized seven-sided mirror. She had to take a step back and just breathe for a moment. Had the mirror in the fountain sent her through that tiny mirror above the man's desk? That was impossible...wasn't it?

"I will have to report this to the king immediately," he said, startling her from her thoughts, "you will come with me, and none of your sarcasm please. Thanks to this little family heirloom in my hand you'll have a bit more time here, but not much. Any of that dagger-tongue nonsense of yours and I'll have you stuffed back through the nearest portal with your mind replaced with that of a squirrel."

Mysti swallowed nervously and watched as he took the lead and walked out of the room. He obviously expected her to follow him, and she wasn't about to challenge him if it meant switching bodies with a squirrel. She gathered her wits about her and forced her legs to work as she followed him. His walk was so smooth that the material of his ornate silk clothing barely rustled. She took a moment to realize that he was a good foot and a half taller than her, probably six-two. He cast an icy glance over his shoulder once to make sure she was behind him, but paid no more attention to her until they were standing in what appeared to be a solar of a castle. A beautiful woman who looked exactly like the man who was escorting her sat with two young children and another, almost equally handsome man. This one had long dark brown hair and dusky green eyes, and she could tell that he and the woman were married and the children were theirs as well. The love in their eyes when they looked at each other was obvious.

"Your majesty, I apologize for intruding upon your day of liberty, but a small issue has arisen," the man said.

The dark-haired man looked up with a silly, sarcastic smile on his face and said, "If it were small, you wouldn't be here, would you prime minister Lei?" Then he caught sight of Mysti and his cheeks turned a dusky rose color. "My," the man said, "what a lovely young woman you have with you Lei! She can't possibly be _your_ woman, can she?"

The golden-haired man, whom she now knew to be named Lei, looked primly horrified at the very notion, "No. She is actually part of the issue I am here to discuss with you, Jeile."

Partially ignoring Lei, Jeile placed an arm around the shoulders of his queen and asked, "What is your name, my lovely young maiden?"

Mysti felt her cheeks turning pink as she replied, "Uh...Mysti Deanoia...sir." As so as the words left her lips the room fell silent. Lei was staring at her with slightly widened eyes, and Jeile looked genuinely shocked. Even his wife, Nei looked as if she'd just been surprised.

"Lei..." Jeile could barely manage words at the moment.

"I...I know," Lei cleared his throat and turned to face Mysti, "with that last name...it means that you're related to the king of Astale."

Mysti was agape, "What?"

"Deanoia was my mother's maiden name..." Jeile's voice was beginning to sound weak, "Jeile, thank you for bringing her here. Nei,would you please see to it that she has a comfortable room set up in the east wing while Lei and I discuss this further. I'm sorry, but I must cut short our leisure time and call on my brother Aram and my father as well. If you would please take the children out to the gardens to play for the time being, when you get a chance?"

Nei smiled sadly and gave him a soft kiss on the lips, "I will be waiting for you after you sort everything out, my love." She stood up, gathered the children (who were currently engaging in a staring contest - the one that looked like Nei was winning of course), and bowed to Lei before leading Mysti out of the room. Mysti was releived to leave the tension-filled chamber, even though she wasn't sure exactly where she was being led. This Nei seemed trustworthy enough, though it was strange that everyone who passed them in the corridors bowed in front of her.

"I'm sorry if Lei shocked you," Nei said softly, surprising Mysti enough to make her jump nervously, "my brother has always been a bit harsh to those who he views as beneath him."

"Beneath him, eh?" Mysti grumbled so that only she could hear.

"I was wondering though," Nei stopped in front of a huge door and smiled bashfully at Mysti, "how exactly did you come to be here? Obviously, your arrival was unexpected."

Mysti had to take a deep breath before replying, "I...uh...fell through a mirror...and landed on his desk."

Nei raised her eyebrows, "Oh my! You weren't hurt were you? Lei would have healed you by now, but still, his desk is made of solid Astale oak, one of the hardest woods in existence."

"Well, it hurt when I landed and broke it in two," Mysti said sheepishly, "but I didn't really receive any bodily injury."

"You...broke my brother's desk?" and suddenly, Nei's face was an exact copy of her brother's, blank and cool. Then a small smile broke out and began to grow, until she was having a giggle fit.

"I wish I could have seen my poor brother's face when you fell on that dreary desk!" Nei smiled brightly at her, and her little brown-haired boy tugged on her skirts, looking confused but cheerful.

"What happened to uncle Lei's desk, mother?" he asked, eyes shining bright with curiosity.

Nei's other child answered for her, "This lady fell on it and broke it with her bottom."

"Uh, ha ha, right," Mysti laughed halfheartedly, "my...bottom...anyway, I wanted to ask what exactly Lei meant when he said I was related to uh...wait. Didn't Mr. Jeile say that his mother's maiden name was the same as mine, and that it meant I was related to the king...meaning that Jeile and you are..."

Nei smiled cheerfully and confirmed what she'd been thinking, "The current king and queen of Astale, yes. But don't worry, Jeile will not let any harm come to you now that he's discovered you could be a distant relative. Of course, he wouldn't have hurt you anyway because you are a lovely young woman, but that is beside the point. And anyway, you must be exhausted from such a harrowing experience, so you should make yourself at home. This room is suitable, I hope." She moved aside as the doors opened, and Mysti found herself rendered speechless.

The room was massive, the perfect size to hold the equally massive four-poster bed in the center of it. Dark wood with ornate carvings held up a huge, very soft looking mattress and box spring sed, and there were yards and yards of dark blue fabric cascading around it as curtains. The rest of the room was decorated just as ornately, with sculptures sitting on shelves and a settee, and a beautiful hand-carved vanity and matching stool. In short, it was the most lavish room she'd ever seen outside of a magazine.

"This is...more than I could have asked for in a million years," Mysti swallowed the lump that had begun to form in her throat, "are...are you sure I can stay in here?"

Nei smiled warmly, "Of course. You are a guest of the royal family, are you not? Lay down and rest, my friend, and a maid will be up soon to see if you need anything. I will also arrange for you to visit the bath later on, before dinner tonight. Until then, Mysti-san." Nei inclined her head slightly, and two serving maids slowly shut the doors.

"Thank you," Mysti whispered just before the doors were closed all the way, "your majesty."

--

"Father, what secrets have you been keeping from us?" Jeile asked, looking somewhat frazzled.

Sadeel, the former king, sat next to former queen Veedua and was silent for a long time before he answered, "There are certain things that I did not see the need to tell you. I had no idea, for one, that your long lost cousin would show up using one of the missing portals. She was reported missing a decade ago, presumed to be as dead as the rest of her family."

"Yes, I know that now," Jeile ran a hand through his hair, mussing it up, "but no one informed me that I even _had _extended family members that had been murdered! You would think something that important would have been reported to me! She was part of my mother's family!"

"But this girl is not your sister," Sadeel said calmly, "she is barely your cousin. Apparently, her family's killer was unable to get to her in time, and she was sent to another world to be raised by some distant family of hers, probably exiles from Astale. As I said to you before, numerous times, the entire family was reported to have been slaughtered by a madman, including this Mysti girl, and you were young at the time of the incident. I did not want to trouble you over the deaths of people you had not ever met or would likely ever meet. You must trust that it was difficult for me to keep it from you. Mysti's parents were dear friends of the royal family, though they chose to remain far from their homeland. We all mourned their loss in our own ways, but it was such a violent crime committed against them, and I did not think it wise to tell you of it unless it became necessary."

Jeile sighed and stared at his father, "Well...I'd say it's become very necessary, especially since Mysti will have questions of her own about her family. I have to have something to tell her, father. I cannot simply say that her parents died and she was abandoned in another world."

"And why ever not?" Veedua spoke out, looking stern, "I know of what happened to her family as well, Jeile, and it was not something that I would ever consider telling her. Such heartless slaughter would drive even the strongest of hearts to the brink of despair. She is likely unaware that her real parents lived here, due to the fact that she's never tried to come here before and seems to have no knowledge of the mirrors or spells. Not to mention the fact that all her ties to the royal family have been dead for years. Do you really think she will be able to withstand the responsibilty of taking over where her family left off?"

Jeile scowled and tried to sort through his thoughts. Lei merely watched everything unfold, strange thoughts bouncing around in his head that he could not seem to get out.

Finally, he was unable to contain them, and said, "She knows magic."

All eyes turned to him, and he frowned and continued, "She has to know, else the mirror would never have opened up for her. She would have fallen to her death in that other world unless she had cast a spell of some sort. So there is potential for her to take up the reigns of the fallen Deanoia family, if someone were willing to teach her. The matter of her family can be put off for a little while longer. Until then, it's up to his majesty what happens with her."

Jeile glared at Lei and announced, "Very well then. I put you in charge of her, Lei."

There was silence in the room for several moments. Lei was staring daggers at Jeile. "And why might that be, _your majesty_? I hardly have the time for keeping up with a student."

Jeile kept his face carefully blank, "You have a very accomplished assistant prime minister, Yuino-san, at your disposal, do you not? Have her handle things while you are overseeing Mysti-san's lessons. It's not like I'm asking you to completely give up all your time for her, only what free time you have."

Lei growled angrily, "I am a very busy man, your majesty. I have no free time as it is."

Jeile remained unmoved, "I am aware of this, prime minister, and that is why I would advise you to make some. Yuino-san is nearly as good as you are. Have her take care of the daily matters, and if something important comes up you can take over. She is capable, and willing, and you are better suited for the job of teaching Mysti-san than even I am."

"Why is that?"

Jeile frowned sadly, "Because I would tell her the truth, Lei, about everything. And, as mother has pointed out, that would be unwise at this time. The girl is probably in shock as it is, and hearing the truth would only add to it. You're excellent at keeping important secrets, and I know you will not tell her until she is better prepared and well-adjusted to life here."

Lei was silent. He bowed in acquiescence, though reluctantly, and turned to leave the room. Jeile sighed as he watched his old friend leave the room with stiff shoulders and reminded himself that this was for the best. Perhaps, with a little help from Mysti herself, Lei would soften up just a little. He'd been so stressed lately.

--

Mysti nearly fell out of bed when the doors to her room were thrown open. She scrambled into a crouching position and frantically searched for what had caused the ruckus. She found it in the form of Lei, looking very dark and forboeding in her doorway.

"What are you...hey!" She tumbled out of the way of a blast of magic aimed for her head. Lei shot a few more off, and she dodged each one of them by the skin of her teeth. Finally, he had her cornered, and he aimed right for her heart. She heard the blast go off, felt the heat of it as it came toward her, and threw up what she liked to call her "shield". The blast bounced off of it and slammed into the ceiling above her head. Silence descended upon the room.

Lei stared at her in shock for a moment, then a slow grin spread over his features. "I knew I was right," he said, "you do know some magic. I had to see for myself if my theory was correct."

"You could have just waited until I was outside or something!" Mysti cried, "Now you've gone and destroyed this lovely bedroom you big jerk! Plus, you could have killed me! Are you insane?!"

Lei smiled, but it was not a pleasant smile at all. It was one of ill intent, and it gave Mysti the chills. She suspected she was about to get into something that she would not like.

"The lessons have begun," Lei said abrubtly, "for the moment though, I invite you to rest and relax. Starting tomorrow morning, you won't be doing much of that for a long time. I'll see you at dinner." And with that, he left, taking Mysti's freedom with him.

--

_Well...there's the first chapter. I hope it was good. I'd wuv to hear from all you readers, so review away! I'll have the next chapter up soon enough...I hope. No flames please...I bite back._


	2. I can fix it!

_Okay, here we go..._

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**Chapter Two**

Mysti could hardly believe what a day she'd had. As if falling out of the air onto Lei's desk wasn't enough, now she'd learned something truly terrible. She growled angrily and kicked her slipper-clad foot into a nearby wall...then proceeded to hop up and down while howling in pain because of it. She didn't care though, she thought to herself as she limped off to the flower gardens that she'd seen from her new bedroom window (she'd been moved to another room while repairs were made to her old one). Hopefully some beautiful flowers were just what she needed to calm down. She'd always loved the botannical gardens back in her world.

_**Okay, this whole "other world" thing is going to take some getting used to.**_ She stared down at the sleeves of her ornate evening gown that she'd been given after her bath. It was a beautiful green material that reminded her of the deep forest at night, and it went well with her pale complexion and pale green eyes. They'd also done something intricate and beautiful with her normally unmanageable dark brown hair, twisting it back and braiding it in interesting places, not to mention all the decorative hairpins they'd poked through the mass. She looked like a fairytale princess, but she certainly didn't feel like one.

Part of the reason for that was the fact that no one had bothered to tell her when she was going to be sent back to her own world. She'd been informed that she was being investigated by someone who used to live in her world, and that come morning she woud officially be Lei's student. _**Moving target/slave is more like it. He's going to fry me the first chance he gets.**_ Other than that little bit of infuriating information, she'd been told nothing at all. And when she'd tried to ask she'd been cut off and left high and dry with a simple, "That has not been decided yet. Good day, Lady Mysti." by the messenger.

And to top it all off, she was now thoroughly lost. She'd made a wrong turn somewhere (who was she kidding? she'd had no idea where the heck she'd been going in the first place) and now she was standing in the middle of a maze of hallways and stairwells.

"Please," Mysti whined, something she normally did not like to do, "somebody get me out of here. I wanna go home..." Oh no. That familiar burn behind her eyes was starting up, the one she always got when she was about to start crying. She would _not _cry just because she was a little lost. She would just have to trust her instinct.

She looked toward the corridors to her left. No, that direction just didn't feel right. Then she looked right. Nothing helpful in that direction either. Then she caught sight of a window and ran up to it, a smile breaking out on her face. Perhaps if she could spot the garden from there then maybe she could get her bearings and find her way down to it. There it was, right in front of her. She looked behind her at the winding corridors and made a decision she was sure she would regret later. Opening the window, she climbed up on the ledge and looked down at the gardens five stories below her. _**If I lose concentration...no, I can't think of what could happen. Only what I want to happen. Everything else that could be will not be as long as I focus on the gardens...**_

She stepped out onto thin air before she could rethink her decision...and felt herself begin to float gently downward. She had to force herself not to lose concentration as she did so, due the excitement she was feeling at her unexpected success. Once her feet were touching the cobblestone path on the ground she allowed herself to do a little victory dance that she only did when she had accomplished something massive. Her powers, which she'd managed to keep secret until now, were something she'd had little time to work on. So any time she was able to use them successfully she celebrated. Of course, now that she'd stumbled onto an entire world full of people with similar powers to her own...well, she didn't know what to make of it.

She walked among the blooming flowers and breathed in their fragrance, smiling at the butterflies and birds that greeted her from behind their petals. She now had a teacher, albeit a rather frightening one, that would show her how to use those abilities she'd been keeping hidden for years. Her parents had never liked it when she mentioned magic, and they especially hadn't liked it when she'd accidentally used it in front of them once. She'd fixed a broken vase, reassembling the pieces right before their eyes until it was all in one piece. They'd whipped her hard enough to draw blood, and made it very clear that she was never to do anything like that again, _ever_, or something truly terrible would come and take her away and kill her.

_**I always knew they were strange parents, but now that I've seen this...I wonder if maybe they knew about Astale all along...**_ She paused, considering the possibilities. "Maybe they really did know about this place..."

"What are you talking about?"

Mysti whirled around as fast as she could and found herself face-to-face with the last person she wanted to see...Lei. He stared at her, his face expressionless, and waited for a response.

"What do you care?" Mysti snapped before she could regain her composure and hold back her temper, "You're the one who thinks I'm beneath him. What do the thoughts of a commoner matter to someone of your class?" She wanted to kick herself, but she'd already dug her own grave.

"You're right. I don't care," he said nonchalantly, "but I figured I'd at least give the appearance of caring, for your sake. Just be glad I didn't toss you out on your arrogant little behind earlier."

...she may as well lay in it. "Arrogant? You're the one who's arrogant! I tried to be civil, but then you go all uppity on me and call me a peasant girl! Well, have I got news for you bub! I have zero respect for people who consider themselves more important than anyone else! Class systems disgust me!"

Lei glared at her icily, "So that means that you would disrespect King Jeile, who was kind enough to take you in, just because he happens to be king then? Perhaps I was wrong about you. Not only are you a second-class citizen, you're also rude to those who would help you."

"Help me?" Mysti exclaimed, feeling stung by his words, "Jeile-sama and Nei-sama are the only ones who've helped me today. You just want me to drop off the face of the planet so you can get back to your boring life of politics! Do you _like_ being stuffed behind that desk that's full-to-busting with stacks of legal documents? And stop referring to me as someone beneath you! That really makes me want to bust those lovely lips of yours!"

Lei was staring at her strangely, "Lovely...lips?"

Mysti would have liked to have dropped dead right there, but she was still digging that grave of hers a little deeper. "I...well...I'm sure you've heard that before, so what does it matter? My point is, you need to consider other people's feelings before you go parading around calling them peasants!" Lei was silent for a few more moments, pondering her. She stood huffing, and her face was beet red from embarassment.

He found it oddly endearing, the way she talked back to him. The moment he thought that he wanted to find the nearest stone statue and dash his head against it. _**No, she's just a peasant. And I don't find her endearing in any way. I'm just not used to having someone besides Airi argue with me. That's it. **_Besides, his heart had been devoted to another. There was no room for anyone else in it.

"What I happen to think of you or anyone else is not relevant to the role I will play in your life from this day forward," he said flatly, "I am your teacher, you are my student. End of discussion. You will be up at dawn and ready to begin your lessons, or I will wake you up myself, and you will not like that one bit. I will take my leave of you now. Good night." He turned and began to walk away.

_**I can already see what a nightmare this is going to be**_, Mysti thought to herself. _**It's going to take a lot more to get him out of whatever rut he's stuck in. **_There had to be a reason for his bitterness. The sadness she'd seen earlier had still been there, shining behind the mask he wore. It ate away at her heart, in spite of the fact that she thought he was an arrogant, pompous-ass...

She took a deep breath before her temper ran away with her again, and called out to him, "I do respect his majesty, King Jeile. I wasn't raised to repay kindess with cruelty."

He turned and stared at her, the look on his face unreadable and his eyes intense. It made her blush even more, and just when she'd managed to get a handle on her earlier embarassment.

"But you're the one exception!" she added, before she finally lost her nerve and went stomping off into the greenery.

Lei stood there for a few more moments. A breeze blew through the gardens, carrying on it the scent of roses in full bloom. He smiled and caught an errant petal in between his fingers before it could blow away.

"This is going to be interesting."

--

"I'm such a putz!" Mysti sat down on the edge of her obscenely comforable bed and pulled on a pair of boots. She'd had trouble finding her way back to her room last night, and then she hadn't been able to sleep because she'd been so worked up. She was still recovering from the mortification of the encounter in the gardens.

She stood up and checked her reflection in the vanity, scowling at herself, "Stupid, stupid temper! Why did I say he had lovely lips? I hate him! Next thing you know I'll be telling him that I like the rest of his face too, and that he has a sexy..."

"Talking to yourself again, I see," Lei said from the open doorway, "at least you're awake and dressed, though you might have considered picking an outfit you could move more freely in. That gown looks like it's a bit too tight for proper exercise, but now you don't have time to change. Follow me please." He turned and began walking briskly down the corridor, just like he had the day before, and again Mysti had to run to catch up with him.

She swallowed nervously and considered whether or not he would mind if she beat her own skull against the wall for a few minutes. Of course, that wouldn't help the sudden pounding in her ears or the pink staining her cheeks. _**At least I didn't finish that sentence. Then I would have made the theory of spontaneous combustion into a fact.**_ Not that Lei appeared to give a flying fart. He seemed wholly unaffected by what she'd been saying, and she was positive he'd heard every word she'd said.

They walked for what seemed to be at least fifteen minutes until they'd exited the castle and entered another building, this one less ornate. It looked like a giant gymnasium, except without basketball hoops, and there were archways and candles everywhere, not to mention the various and sundry weapons on display.

"Take a seat over there, and I will begin today's lesson," Lei pointed to a row of chairs in front of a desk that was tucked into a separate section of the building. She quietly made her way over to them and sat down, not trusting her mouth with anything. Lei sat down and tossed a book onto her lap, causing her to jump. "Nice catch," he said sarcastically, "open it up. To any page."

Mysti cautiously examined the book's exterior before she opened it. No title. No author. No nothing. She opened it to the tenth page and had to fight back a gasp as she stared down at the pages. The words began to write themselves on the otherwise blank pages. There were formulas she'd never seen before, some words in another language that looked like it was written in Arabic, and her name at the top of the page along with those of her parents.

"What kind of book is this?" she asked, slightly shocked.

Lei leaned back in his chair, "A very special book, one that normal students never get to see. But since you are _my _student, and since you've demonstrated that you have some grasp of how to use your powers, you will have access to materials that will help you learn faster than most other students. Think of it as an accelerated program."

"This is amazing," she breathed, then she studied the names of her parents and frowned, "but your book made a mistake."

Lei looked skeptical, "That book knows everything about you, right down to the moment you were conceived. What mistake could it possibly have made?"

"Well," Mysti held it up for his inspection, "it got my parents' names wrong. I have no idea who these people are, but I've never met them before."

Lei's eyes widened imperceptibly and he calmly took the book from her, "I suppose these must be distant relatives of yours. Perhaps the book only picks up on those who live in this world."

Mysti smiled brightly, "So, those people are probably my uncle and aunt or something? Do I get to meet them someday?"

Lei whispered something to the book, appearing to have not heard what she'd asked, and handed it back to her. She took it, her smile faltering, and he said, "That should take care of it. As for how to use this book, it will show you what you need to know based on what level of learning you're at. This is your book now, and it will respond only to you. An added bonus is that no one but you can see the writing on the pages."

"So, if someone wanted to look up a weakness of mine..."

Lei nodded, looking somber, "The book would appear blank to them. Even if you show the book to someone else, like you just did to me, they would not see anything. Your information is safe within those pages."

That helped her insecurity a little. When he'd said that the book knew everything about her she'd been a little worried about any random Joe-Bob or Billy-Sue with a grudge coming around and reading up on her innermost fears and thoughts. Still though, he hadn't answered her question, and it didn't look like he was going to any time soon either. She promised herself to try again later, with somebody else more responsive.

"Now...turn to the first page," Lei said stiffly, "that will explain the basics of what you're going to be learning from here on out. Read it as many times as you need to, then we will begin with a minor spell or two. You might actually have used a few before. Like the levitation spell for instance. I was surprised to see you had enough skill for that yesterday in the gardens. You haven't reached the point where you're adept at it, but you're still quite advanced for someone with no training."

Mysti could hardly believe what he'd said, "Was that...a compliment? Thank you."

Lei's stare was cold, "You're welcome. Don't let it go to your head. You still have massive amounts of work to do, and when you aren't reading from the book I'm going to be working you so hard you spit blood."

Mysti felt herself pale at his suddenly threatening aura. She quickly buried her head in her new book, planning on reading each word as slowly as possible. She wasn't looking forward to practice.

--

"The moon is beautiful tonight," Veedua sat one the silk-cushioned window seat and stared out at the night sky, "don't you think so, Lei?"

Lei looked up from the stack of papers he was working on and tried to see what she saw. It wasn't working though. The moon did nothing for him, except when it cast its silver-blue light upon her, making her look even more dangerously enchanting than she did in the light of the sun.

"I suppose it is, Veedua-sama," he said nonchalantly, and continued filing through the documents that his assistant had left for him. Yuino had done a wonderful job of keeping up with all the work of the prime minister. He still worried though. He liked having control over all aspects of his life. Mysti had upset his precious balance, and he wasn't about to forgive her for it.

"How did our new student do today?" Veedua smiled wickedly, noting the scorch marks on Lei's normally pristine clothing.

Lei didn't even look up from his work as he replied, "She managed to butcher the easiest spell that even children can perform and turn it into one of mass destruction. She nearly set the building on fire."

Veedua laughed at the thought of seeing Lei trying to control his wayward student. She laughed even more when he had to brush soot off of papers after it fell from his hair.

"I see no humor in this situation," Lei said stiffly.

Veedua stood up and walked slowly over to his desk. He looked up this time, but his expression was blank as always. _**Such a frigid mask he wears**_, thought the former queen, _**but I know he is upset.**_ He had a familiar glint in his eye, one she did not see very often. He only got it when he'd discovered something that he didn't quite understand, but was determined to gain control over.

"You're looking forward to teaching her," Veedua smirked, "aren't you?"

Lei remained expressionless, "What makes you say that?"

"It gets you out of here, doesn't it?" she remarked, "I know how seriously you take your work, but I also know that even you can't stand being cooped up in this office all day, every day. Besides, any student who can take a minor light spell and turn it into a raging fireball of death _has_ to be entertaining."

"Yes, well," Lei sighed and gave up trying to concentrate on his work, "it's not as entertaining when that fireball is aimed right at your head. She blew several large holes through a solid stone wall." He ran a hand through his hair and rubbed his throbbing temples.

"Well," Veedua smiled over her shoulder as she walked toward the door, "what do you plan on doing about it?"

Lei stared at a scorch mark on his right sleeve, "I plan to teach her how to repair walls...but not with magic this time."

He could hear Veedua's chuckling echoing through the halls even after she'd left his office.

--

"Wow," Mysti sat in front of her vanity, freshly scrubbed after having a wonderful bath, "I sucked massively today. And I nearly killed Lei." She sighed and trudged over to her bed, where she collapsed face-down and remained for some time. _**I thought I was a little better at magic than that...but I guess I haven't really practiced as much as I thought I had. **_She'd given her last spell of the day a little too much juice, due to a little vice of hers known as overconfidence. She'd done moderately well on all the other spells Lei had shown her. She'd managed to summon all four elements, though they'd disappeared after only a few seconds. Lei had remained unimpressed up until the point where he'd asked her to perform the light summoning spell. Then he'd gone from surprise to slightly singed rage. Thankfully, unlike Mysti, Lei didn't yell or lose his cool, even though the look in his eyes had screamed murder. He'd merely informed her that lessons for the day were over and that she could leave.

So she'd turned tail and fled without apologizing, feeling embarassed and disappointed in herself. "If only I had at least offered to fix the wall," she thought out loud. Then she was struck by a thought, and it had her sitting bolt upright and springing off her bed with a smile on her face. She grabbed a robe to go over her nightgown and practically ran out of her bedroom door, not really concerned about anyone seeing her. She was going back to the building she'd nearly destroyed.

"Why didn't I think of this earlier!" she gasped as she ran. The first real spell she'd ever performed successfully was when she'd repaired that broken vase all those years ago! Ever since then, she'd been repairing small things to brush up on her skills. It was the one spell she cast on a regular basis! If she could fix all the damage she'd caused, maybe then Lei would be able to forgive her little slip-up.

_**Not that I particularly care about getting any of his forgiveness**_, she told herself quickly, _**I still think he's the biggest creep in the universe. But still, I'm sure the building belongs to Jeile-sama, and I will not go around breaking his property without at least trying to fix it afterward. **_Still though, some small, very girly part of her wanted to hear Lei say that he forgave her. Maybe even if he smiled a little while saying it...

She shook her head to clear it of such insanity and ran even faster, finally making her way outdoors. Once she was in the building she snuck in through one of the holes she'd made earlier in the day and stood amidst the rubble of her first lesson in magic. _**What a disaster. **_There were a few more holes in the wall than she remembered making. Probably from flying debris. She'd made quite a few impressive explosions before putting a tap on her power. She was surprised Lei hadn't shielded himself from the explosions. Had she really caught him off-guard?

Oh well, back to business. She stared at the biggest hole, which was three feet wide and seven feet tall. Having never fixed anything that big before, she decided to err on the side of caution and start with one of the smaller holes. She came to the smallest, about the size of her head, and held out her hands until they were touching the wall on either side of it. She closed her eyes, concentrated, and opened them.

She envisioned the wall before she'd destroyed it. The stone had been smooth, well placed, and pale gray. She saw the air in the center of the hole blur, then several stones lifted off the floor around her feet and outside of the building, floating up to the hole and reassembling themselves inside of it. She smiled, imagining the cracks filling in with whatever material they had used to hold the stones together, and watched as the wall knit itself back together. When she was done there was no sign that there had ever been a hole in the wall. She pressed on the spot with both hands to make sure it was solid, and grinned broadly when there was no give.

"Yes!" she did a little jig and then looked around for the next few holes. She made easy work of the first few, due to their small size, but after the first hour she was exhausted. She'd skipped the largest of the holes in favor of getting rid of the scorch marks all over the pillars and floor. The ceiling had been the most difficult, especially since she'd had to use a levitaion spell to get close enough to the surface. Some of the scorch marks were nearly thirty feet up in the air, but she managed to concentrate hard and long enough to keep from falling more than three times. Her butt would be sore in the morning, and Lei wouldn't give her a break because of it she was sure, but at least the ceiling was fixed.

Finally, after three hours of exhausting work at clearing away scorch marks and debris, she came to the grandaddy of all the messes she'd ever made. The yawning hole in the wall showed her a lovely view of several of the castle's turrets. They reached for the heavens like giant claws grasping at the stars. Several of the windows had lights in them, and she could see the prime minister's office too. It was still lit.

_**I must really have messed up his schedule. He's probably always been very busy, and now he has to teach the world's worst student magic. **_Alright, so she admitted it, albeit grudgingly, she felt bad for all the insults she'd thrown at him. She probably wouldn't have reacted much better herself if he'd fallen out of thin air and wrecked _her_ life. At least he was trying to teach her something useful. _**I'll get better at it, I swear. I will not be any more of a burden on him than I already am. I'll study whenever I can, and hard, and I'll give him something to be impressed with. **_And, she told herself secretly, she was going to make him smile if her life depended on it.

So she placed her hands on the wall around the hole, and she summoned up all the power she could, more than she'd ever used with this spell before, and concentrated it on fixing the wall. She could feel the weight of the stones as they lifted slowly off the ground, there were at least fifty or sixty of them, and once they were in place, she felt the mortar oozing through the cracks between them like the blood in her veins. Her hands were beginning to ache and burn, but she wasn't quite finished yet. There were still a few more cracks to fill in, still a few more stones to set properly in their places...

Finally, her legs gave out and her body collapsed to the ground, but she smiled all the way down. She'd finished it. The entire building looked just as it had that morning, before she'd begun using spells. Even the cracks in the glass of the windows were gone. She landed on her side after collapsing on her kness, and she stayed there for who knew how long, just trying to catch her breath.

Something was wrong. Normally she was only a little tired after using her powers, but because she'd used more than she was accustomed to in one sitting now she was exhausted. She tried to get up after she'd managed to breathe normally again, but her elbows wouldn't support her weight, so she just collapsed back to the floor and stared up at the nice ornate ceiling she'd just nearly killed herself repairing. It didn't surprise her one bit that it was spinning, and her vision was beginning to get blurry. She'd passed out before many years ago on different occasions, so she knew the drill. _**Ah, the curses of a weak constitution**_, she thought mirthlessly as her vision began to go black, _**I wonder how long I'll be out. Hopefully I can get back to my bedroom before dawn.**_

She blinked, trying to put off oblivion for as long as possible, but that only made the pounding behind her eyes even worse. Or...was that the sound of footsteps coming to a halt just to her left. She tried to focus, then she smiled sadly.

"I...I'm dreaming," she slurred, "you...wouldn't come out...here for...m...me..." Finally, she had to shut her eyes. The spinning of the world around her was beginning to make her nauseous.

Lei examined all the work she'd done and said nothing for a long time. He waited until she sighed deeply and stopped moving, falling completely into unconsciousness. He kept on finding her doing strange things. Talking to herself. Commenting on how sexy she thought he was. He had to smile at that one. But this was completely unexpected.

"Now I know why her spell went wrong," he said to the night. He bent and picked her limp body up, not really caring that he was getting dirty doing it. "You are going to be a challenge, now that I know where you get your power from," he said softly, knowing that she couldn't hear him, "but I will admit that you did well tonight." He carried her out of the building and back to the castle, a well-disguised look of pride glowing like silver embers behind his eyes. What a discovery he'd made in her.

--

_Woo hoo...that was fun to write. I kept on getting my thoughts twisted up, but I somehow managed to get them down. Pwease read and review...oh, and if anyone knows the gender of Jeile's child that looks like Lei, I would love them forever if they told me what it was._


	3. Silly Girl

_Thanx for the reviews peoples! And for answering my question about Jeile's kid. I had a feeling they were both boys, but you can never be sure..._

--

**Chapter Three**

"You really did all of that? And I thought _my_ entrance to Astale was rocky!" Airi smiled bashfully as Mysti commented on her previous escapades. They'd met shortly after Mysti had woken up that morning. Lei had cancelled her lesson for the day, but it had been a steward who'd told her, not Lei himself. _**It must have been something mondo important then...I can't really blame him if he uses that as an excuse not to see me again. I might accidentally kill him if I try that spell again, or any spell. **_She'd woken up in her bed that morning, still in her dirty nightclothes, so she knew that she'd fixed what she'd broken. But she did not remember how she'd found her way back to her room. Plus, there was that crazy dream that had Lei carrying her bridal-style up the castle steps and laying her tenderly in her bed as if she were made of porcelain...

"Well, I have to say at first I was totally out of my element here," Airi remarked, "but I'm thankful I had Aram with me, even if that still didn't prevent a few...mishaps."

Mysti grinned, "At least you didn't cast any potentially deadly spells and aim them at his head. I never did apologize to Lei for that."

Airi laughed maliciously, "Heh, I would have given anything to see the look on his face when that fireball came flying at him. Good job, I say, and don't you dare feel bad about it. By now you must have discovered what a jerk he can be. He deserves to be unsettled every once in a while."

Mysti swallowed nervously, "I'm afraid my parents drilled etiquitte into my skull too deeply for that, in spite of the fact that I agree with you. The next time I see him I'm going to apologize, even if he doesn't accept it, or I'll be miserable."

Airi placed a comforting hand on Mysti's shoulder and smiled warmly at her, "He'll accept it. Lei's not as much of a monster as he would have others think. There have been times when he was unusually kind and caring, he just won't admit it."

Mysti smiled sadly, "I'm sure that's true. He'll just never be that way toward me."

"Oh, I'm sure-"

"LOOK OUT!!"

Mysti looked up in time to see a stack of thick books heading straight for them. She pushed Airi out of the way in time to save her from the shower of aged leatherbound volumes that buried Mysti and the person who'd been carrying them. She looked up and rubbed her head where a particularly heavy one had slammed into her and groaned.

"I am so sorry!" said a frantic looking young woman who popped up from underneath the mountain of books. Mysti took in her rumpled appearance as she began to panic. She was about the same age as Mysti, maybe a little older, with long black hair in braids and pale white skin. Her watery brown eyes were framed by wire-rimmed glasses, and she was currently stacking the scattered books with caution. "I should have taken the Eastern corridor instead!"

"Um, Yuino-san," Airi said with a smile, "this _is _the Eastern corridor."

Yuino looked positively horrified with herself and then looked over at Mysti, who was smiling warmly at her. "I do apologize mistress! I had no idea there were guests staying in this part of the castle! Especially royal ones! I will report this incident and await my punishment. I do hope I did not cause you any harm!"

Mysti held up her hands and grinned, "Don't worry about all that! You don't have to report anything to anyone, and I won't let anyone punish you for having an accident. I should have been watching too, so it's both our faults. I'm just happy I finally got to meet you!"

Yuino appeared dumbfounded, "You...are?"

Mysti sat up and began making a separate stack of books, "Of course! Everyone's told me about you. You're Yuino-san, assistant prime minister under Lei. I've been wanting to meet you ever since I got here. I wanted to ask how you've put up with it for so long."

"With...what?" Yuino continued to gather up books cautiously, not completely understanding what Mysti was saying.

Suddenly Mysti was angrily slamming books into a stack, "With Lei's stupid I'm-better-than-everyone attitude! He's such a jerk that I can't imagine how someone as sweet as I've been told you are manages to stay sane! You have to tell me your secret, otherwise I won't be able to survive until graduation."

Blown away by Mysti's sudden temper, and confused as to exactly why she would need to know how to survive Lei, Yuino could only stare at her, flabbergasted.

Airi smiled sheepishly and interjected before Yuino gave herself a headache in her confusion, "Yuino-san, this is Mysti Deanoia, Lei's new charge. He's going to be tutoring her in magic until she graduates."

Finally, the puzzle pieces lined up and a light of realization went off in Yuino's head, "Oh my! You're the girl Lei-sama described to me the other day after he came into the office covered in soot!"

Mysti blushed and looked away sheepishly, "Uh...heh...yeah, that's me. He was probably furious with me, so he might have embellished a few details."

Yuino smiled shyly, "He was rather upset with you. He described you as a 'brainless peasant with no talent for magic who couldn't keep her mouth shut if her life depended on it' I believe. I had a feeling he wasn't in his right mind when he said that. I do apologize for him. I've never before seen him like that."

Mysti gritted her teeth behind a smile, "Oh, that's quite alright. I had a feeling he'd say something like that. By the way, where exactly were you going with these books? It looks like you could use a little help."

Yuino blushed, "I was taking them up to the prime minister's office. He's out right now with his majesty, king Jeile, discussing important matters on a particularly dangerous person. These books are all the prison records for Astale, and he needs them for review."

Mysti swallowed nervously, "Wow. There sure are a lot of them. So this person is in prison?"

Yuino nodded as she stood up and picked up a much smaller stack of books than she'd orginally had, "Lei-sama isn't entirely sure which one it is though."

"Hmm," Mysti stood up holding the rest of the books and smiled at Yuino," I guess I'll have to help you get these to him then. Wouldn't want his royal-jerkiness to fall behind on his work."

"What?" Yuino looked shocked, "B-but...Mysti-sama! I can't possibly ask that you..."

"It's alright, Yuino-san," Mysti smiled brilliantly, "because you didn't ask. I offered. I don't want you to get in trouble because I made you late. Let's go! Heh, now I get to see where Lei works. I was so flustered the first time I was there that I forgot to memorize how to get to it."

"I'll walk ahead of you two to make sure no one bumps into you," Airi volunteered, and they began to follow her. Yuino was blushing scarlet.

"Y-your majesty...I definitely can't ask that you be bothered with this. Especially in your current condition..."

Airi was all smiles, "Oh don't worry Yuino. I'm only walking ahead of you. I know better than to do anything more stressful than that while I'm pregnant."

"You're pregnant!" Mysti looked suddenly horrified, "And I pushed you? I could have knocked you down and hurt the baby! Ohmigod, I am _so_ sorry!"

Airi chuckled and caressed her two-month-pregnant belly that nobody could even tell was housing a future prince or princess of Astale, "Oh, don't get all flustered over that. It would have done us more harm if you hadn't saved us from that waterfall of heavy books. I'm fine, and so's the baby. Neither of you have anything to worry about."

_**I still could have seriously hurt you. **_Mysti chewed on her lip, irritated with herself. _**I didn't even consider the notion that she might be pregnant. I'm so glad her Aram wasn't around to see me do that. He probably would have zapped me on the spot. I don't even want to think about what Lei would have done to me...**_ She shuddered inwardly as they continued through the lengthy corridors.

"Why do you hate Lei-sama, Mysti-sama?" Yuino asked as they climbed a small stairwell.

Mysti smiled sheepishly, "I don't hate him, per se. I just want to pop him in his arrogant mouth is all."

Yuino blushed, "But Lei-sama has always been kind to me. He's never lost his temper with me when I made a mistake, and he always helped me overcome the obstacles I faced when becoming his apprentice. What did he do to you that was so terrible?"

Mysti frowned and focused on not tripping up the stairs, not entirely happy with herself. "He doesn't respect me," she said softly, without malice, "then again, I haven't given him anything to respect me for. I hurl insults at him every time I see him, and I haven't really given him a chance to _be _nice to me." Then she scowled and her pace quickened with anger, "Of course, he could try _not _insulting my intelligence or calling me a peasant. That might help, not that he cares!"

Airi snickered and stood aside, indicating with a wave that they should enter a door being held open by a palace guard, "Lei doesn't know who he's messing with, does he Yuino-san? You don't know it because he sees you as a well behaved young woman of status, but anyone who annoys him usually gets to see his nasty side. He's got a huge monster hiding underneath that beautiful face of his, right Mysti?"

Mysti sighed and rolled her eyes heavenward, "Tell me about it." They all filed into the room and Mysti plunked the books down on the familiar desk she recognized as Lei's. The blue-green bruise she had on her butt was a constant reminder that Nei was right about Astale Oak being the hardest wood around. Yuino set the rest of the books down gently and rearranged the stack of papers that Mysti had purposely disturbed.

"Thank you so much for all your help," Yuino said timidly, "I truly appreciate it. I hate to admit it, but I probably would have had several more accidents if you hadn't offered to help me."

Mysti smiled, "It was no trouble at all. I promise I'll help you out with things like that whenever I can."

"I hope you're not planning on skipping lessons to do that, Mysti," Lei said as he walked into his office, followed by a young man who looked a lot like Jeile. Mysti scowled at him, getting used to having him walk in on her unexpectedly.

"Aram," Airi smiled lovingly and walked over to the young man to give him a small peck on the lips. Aram grinned and gave her a slightly deeper kiss that had everyone except for Lei blushing. "It's good to see you so soon," Airi said after regaining her composure, "I'd like you to meet Mysti Deanoia, your brother's distant cousin."

Mysti met Aram's determined gaze and smiled warmly, bowing slightly as she said, "It's good to finally meet you, your majesty. Airi-sama has told me all about you."

Aram smiled brilliantly, and Mysti could easily see why Airi had fallen so hard for him. Did all of the men she met here have to be so utterly gorgeous? "Jeile was just telling me about you. Lei was explaining where you came from and showed me the mirror you came through. By the way, Lei, you should really give it to her. It belongs to her family, after all."

Lei met her gaze and walked over to her, handing her the small, ornate mirror she'd come through, "That is correct, Aram-sama. Thank you for reminding me. And thank you as well, Mysti."

Mysti tried to keep from touching Lei's fingers while reaching for the mirror, but when she realized what he'd said she fumbled and ended up clutching his hand. Going from pink to scarlet in a snap, she practically jumped back while clutching the mirror to her throbbing heart. _**Calm down! I must have heard him wrong!**_ "H...huh?" she muttered.

Lei's face was blank as he replied, "For helping Yuino-san with her workload. She doesn't like to admit it, but she's often overwhelmed. Aram-sama and I saw you collide."

Mysti glared at him, "Then why didn't you help too, Lei?"

Lei's smile was strange as he replied, "I wanted to see how you would react. Anyone else of your social class would have just left Yuino-san to recover by herself, but you surprised me when you offered to take on part of her burden. I don't often admit this, but I was impressed. Perhaps I was wrong in judging you to be ungrateful." Mysti finally realized why Lei's smile was strange. He was smiling to be _nice_.

She could have melted on the spot from the warmth it spread through her heart.

Mysti smiled her first genuine smile around him and said, "Thank you. A...and I have something to say as well."

Lei looked mildly interested, but said nothing. Mysti had to swallow back the lump in her throat and began to wish that everyone else weren't present for what she was about to do.

"I wanted to apologize...for wrecking the training area and almost blasting you. I got ahead of myself, and I'm sorry that I made you suffer for that." _**There! I said it! Now I just need an excuse to get out of here so I can crawl under a rock and stay there for the next hundred years!**_

Lei nodded, and Mysti had the feeling that he was about to throw her apology right back in her face. "I didn't suffer at all," he said, his voice going back to its normal, cool cadence, "but you did damage the royal family's property. It was only right that you fixed what you broke. I saw what you did in there this morning when I went to prepare for today's lesson. Lucky for you, Aram-sama arrived and saved you from an entire day of picking up rocks, if you hadn't already repaired everything that is." Okay, so she admitted that she would have deserved that. "I now see that overconfidence is your bane," Lei continued, "keep throwing around your powers like that and you'll get someone killed. I thought you were a bit smarter than that, but I suppose I was wrong and you really are as brainless as I had originally observed. As it is, I can already tell that all those formulas will be useless. You'll never learn any of them properly..."

Mysti would have slapped him then if the others hadn't been present. Instead, she let her temper loose and nearly shouted, "I knew you were going to ruin my attempt at being nice to you! Well let me tell you something Mr. High-and-Mighty! You can take your hoity-toity formulas and lessons and shove them straight up your ass! I'm going to find someone who will tell me how to work the mirrors and then I'm going home and smashing this one with a hammer! Goodbye!" Mysti practically ran from the room, she was so embarrassed. She'd gone and done it again. She'd lost her temper, and in front of people she would liked to have thought of as friends too. Plus, she should have been expecting Lei to say something cold like that. She had no reason to believe otherwise. She heard Airi's voice calling out her name, but she just sped up until she couldn't hear her anymore.

Airi turned and glared at Lei, who appeared slightly surprised, and said, "How could you say something like that to her! After she apologized to you and everything! Do you know how hard it was for her to say all of that? I knew you were mean, Lei, but I didn't know you could be so blatantly cruel to a girl who obviously worships you."

Lei looked taken aback, "What makes you say that she worships me? She hasn't shown any signs that she likes me at all." He knew it was a lie when he said it, but Airi seemed to know something he didn't, and in order to find out what that was he had to say something.

Airi scowled, "You can't be _that_ blind. She told me all about how you two met this morning when I ran into her. She's embarrassed by it, but she thinks you're a truly amazing person for all that you've done for her so far. She thinks you would rather feed her to the dogs than teach her, but appreciates the fact that you haven't rejected her outright like her parents did. And then you have the nerve to tell her that she's never going to be smart enough to learn how to use her magic..."

"I didn't mean for it to sound that way," Lei said, irritated, "I was going to tell her that she's the kind of sorceress that draws her powers from feelings, not formulas, and that I was going to alter her training regiment so that she would have less trouble learning. I was upset because, as she admitted, she let herself become overconfident. That's a terrible mistake to make, even for those who have full control over their powers, and she could be severely hurt." Lei ran a hand through his hair, mussing it up, and sighed. "I suppose I should go find her and explain," he said solemnly, "I didn't know her feelings were that easily bruised."

Airi's frown lost some of its menace, "Perhaps you should leave that to one of us. I have a feeling that you're the last person she wants to see at the moment. But hold on to that thought, because you're going to apologize to her later when we've calmed her down a little." Airi squeezed Aram's hand and began to walk after Mysti. Before she left the room she turned and said over her shoulder, "And you didn't bruise her feelings. You tore them to shreds."

--

After everyone left his office, Lei sat back in his chair and massaged the ache that was beginning in his temples. Yuino was staring at him, looking worried. He didn't look up when he asked, "What is it you have to say Yuino-san? I can tell something is worrying you."

Yuino stood in front of her desk and stared down at her feet. "Lei-sama," she said softly, "perhaps you should not teach Mysti-sama any longer. I'm sure there are others who would be able to teach her as well as you, not that you aren't the best there is for such a job. I hate to say anything against her, but she is making your job as prime minister extremely difficult, and you've only had her as a student for two days now. There must be some way..."

"No, Yuino-san," he said quietly, stopping her in mid-sentence. "I was ordered to teach her by none other than the king himself. I will not disobey simply because she is somewhat stubborn, though I thank you for your concern on my part." Lei sighed and sat up, looking more upset than Yuino had ever seen him. His smile was mirthless as he met her concerned gaze and said, "She's my responsibility, and I seem to have handled it poorly indeed. Will it be too much to ask that you take over again today, even though you weren't scheduled to? I know Airi may be right, but I feel that other people apologizing for me will not solve the current problem at hand. I...feel I owe it to Mysti to show her that what she thinks of me is wrong. That I am not the cold-hearted bastard I've been acting like for the last three days."

Yuino smiled understandingly, "I have no problem, Lei-sama. I wish you luck."

Lei nodded and left the room, "Thank you, Yuino-san."

Some time after he was gone, Yuino sat in his desk chair and stared at the volumes she and Mysti had left there earlier. She picked up one of his pens and ran her fingertips along its length, savoring the fact that Lei's fingers had once been where hers were.

"Stupid little witch," Yuino hissed under her breath as she pressed her fingertip into the sharpened end of the quill pen, "insinuating your way into Lei-sama's life as if it is your right." She felt a sharp pain and stared at the tip of her finger. She'd pressed on the pen tip so hard that she'd drawn blood. Setting the pen exactly where she'd picked it up from, Yuino licked the tiny puncture wound, delighting in the sting and the metallic taste of her own blood.

This "Mysti" character had not sat well with her from the first moment she'd heard Lei speak of her. She was taking Lei's time and making him waste it on teaching her magic, something that Yuino was sure had to be impossible to accomplish. Yuino did not mind taking over for Lei. She was overjoyed that he trusted her enough to let her handle his workload. It was the fact that Mysti was hoarding all of Lei's time and attention like a greedy little monster.

_**No matter**_, she thought to herself, smiling cruelly, _**soon the little whore will be gone, and then Lei will return to his normal routine.**_ There would be no more days spent alone in his office because he had to teach an impudent wretch how to cast spells. Lei would be completely focused on getting his work done, and Yuino would be able to soak in the warmth of his presence once again. Then her happiness would return full circle.

--

Mysti was very good at hiding when she wanted to be. Because she'd gone and lost her head, she'd given herself adequate motivation to sink into the shadows where no one would find her all day. Mortification was always good for things like that.

She stared at her dim reflection in the small pond in the gardens and sniffled. She'd come close to crying several times now, and had considered actually following through with her childish plans to just run away and never come back. _**I can't believe what an idiot I am. I overreacted to the whole situation, and now I'm sure he hates me. He hasn't even left his office to look for me I bet, not that I blame him.**_

Mysti flinched when she heard the bushes rustling near the small cave she'd huddled in for the last three hours. Her legs were sore, her back was hunched, and her shoulders were cramped. She was so misereable that she probably wouldn't have minded being discovered, as long as it was by someone she didn't know. She didn't have it in her to face Airi and the others, not after such an immature display.

The bushes rustled even more, and she could hear the sound of wings beating against the air. She peered out of her hiding place and spotted a breathtakingly beautiful bird, one like she'd never seen before in her entire life. It was huge, with a wing span of at least three feet. It was elegantly formed, with a long, slender neck and straight beak. It's ice-blue eyes shone like jewels against its feathers that were like spun gold. Feathers that reminded her of Lei's hair. Eyes that reminded her of Lei's eyes.

"You know," she said to the bird in a hushed tone, not wanting to scare it away, "if I didn't know any better, I'd have to say that I'm falling in love with Lei. But that's absurd. I've known him for all of three days, and it's obvious he doesn't think of me that way."

The bird tilted its wedge-shaped head and landed on a stone that was protruding from the pond in front of her. It was less than two feet away from her, and it appeared as if it were actually listening. Mysti laughed softly at her own stupidity and stared at it, basking in its strangely comforting beauty.

"You remind me of him," she said, practically cooing the words, "so regal. You're as amazingly beautiful as he is, and yet...I think he's hiding something underneath all of that cool composure." The bird bobbed its head once, as if urging her to go on, and Mysti couldn't help but smile at it. "I don't know exactly what that 'something' could be though. It seems to have made him sad and bitter, whatever it is."

She reached out slowly, unable to resist the urge to touch the beautiful creature. "I know it's not my business, and I have no idea why I feel the way I do, but it seems like my heart is drawn to him. Even if I can't call it love yet, I know that I kind of like him...a lot. Silly, huh?"

The bird moved and brushed the side of its head against her open palm. It was warm, and its feathers felt finer and more delicate than silk. It stood, allowing her to caress its long neck, and was giving her a look of comfort. Finally, Mysti could no longer hold back her tears, and she began to sob in earnest, trying her best not to scare the bird away with her sniffling.

"I...just w-want to...be useful," she cried softly, wiping the tears from her cheeks with her free hand, "I've never b-been useful a day in my life. My parents always told me that I would never amount to...anything. Maybe...they were right..."

The bird nipped at her arm, causing her to jump. She stared at it in shock. Had it just _reprimanded_ her? She was silent for a moment as the bird straightened up and spread its wings, preparing to fly.

"Just what kind of bird are you?" she asked it softly.

There was no answer in any language she could speak. But she knew, as she met its gaze before it flew toward the heavens and out of sight, that it had felt her pain and understood her confusion. She sat there for several more minutes before she noticed the single golden feather that had floated toward her on the surface of the pond. She gently picked it up, gazing reverently at it as the water rolled off of it. It glinted in the dimming light like the sun itself.

"Mysti?" asked a familiar voice. Mysti cringed, but ended up smiling anyway. She wiped away her tears and stood, careful not to fall into the water. Airi stood there on the path, looking worried.

"Hello, Airi-sama," Mysti said, her voice only quavering a little, "I'm sorry if I worried anyone. And I also apologize for being such an impetuous child."

Airi smiled warmly and offered her a hand. Mysti took it gratefully. "It's alright, Mysti. I understand why you acted the way you did. I probably wouldn't have done much different myself. Lei had no right to speak to you that way, and he admits that he didn't mean to make you so upset. He's really sorry..."

"I know," Mysti smiled brilliantly, "and I'm going to try and understand why he treats me this way. No guarantees that this won't happen again though. I've been somewhat off-balance lately, so I probably have several more huddles in the cave of mortification to look forward to. You won't tell anyone about where I was, will you?"

Airi winked and placed a finger against her lips, "Not a word. I swear. Now, let's go back inside and get ready for dinner. I believe they're serving roast pheasant and salads."

Mysti thought of the bird and had to smile to keep from grimacing, "I think I'll skip on the pheasant tonight, but that salad sounds wonderful." So she followed Airi out of the gardens, feeling new determination beginning to bloom within her heart. She was going to show Lei and everyone else that she could be of some use. She was not going to let her feelings, no matter how strange or powerful they might be, get in the way of her becoming as good a sorcerer as Lei.

--

Lei watched the two of them leave the gardens from one of the balconies above the gardens. He couldn't believe what an utter fool he was. He should have transformed before she'd begun talking.

"This is...terrible," he whispered to himself as he ran a hand through his hair. He'd done his very best to prevent any potential feelings from springing up in Mysti toward him, but it looked as if he'd failed miserably. _She wasn't supposed to be_ _falling in love with him. _And the way he'd acted just now, when he'd tried to comfort her...

He was beginning to doubt his own control. This didn't make any sense. He shouldn't have _wanted_ to comfort her as if he actually cared for her on a personal level.

Lei tried to gather his thoughts. He tried to look deep within his heart to see if the one he'd loved for so long was still there...and she was. In all her glory, she had his heart in her hands as always, and it gave him comfort to know that he really hadn't changed. Breathing a sigh of relief, Lei straightened himself out and walked calmly back indoors. He had paperwork to catch up on.

And for the next month, they all put this incident out of their minds in favor of moving forward. And Mysti kept her word. She learned all she could in that time, until eventually, even Lei had to admit (never out loud though) that she was more than useful...she was needed.

--

_Lei is such a cool cucumber! It's so hard to write him falling in love with somebody without making him seem totally out of character, so I apologize if I stepped outside of the lines in this chapter. More reviews are totally welcome! They really help me out with the whole "inspiration" problem I sometimes have._


	4. In Love and War

_Ah, here we are again, another chapter that will undoubtedly be long and hopefully entertaining for all of you. I decided to help my story move along faster by having a one-month time-lapse. Don't worry! I'll include small details so that hopefully it still feels like you spent the month with all the characters! Please enjoy!_

-----

**Chapter Four**

Mysti sat in one of the castle lounges across from Lei, pretending to read while stealing covert glances at his placid expression while he was deeply ensconced in a book on Astronomy. A month ago, after having thrown one of her more disastrous temper-tantrums, he'd explained to her that she was not like other sorcerers. She was what was referred to as an "Elemental".

Elementals were a rare breed. They drew their powers from the feelings in their hearts and the strength of their incredible psychic energies, thus they rarely ever bothered learning how to draw up circles or memorize formulas and chants. That also meant that all the reading material he'd been preparing for her was obsolete. He hadn't liked it, but he'd reformulated her learning program, and now, one month later, he'd helped her to become one of the more advanced sorcerers produced in Astale.

She looked back down at the book she held, confused as to why Lei had asked her to read it at all. She'd already looked over it several days ago, memorizing the different elements. Fire, Water, Air, Earth, Aether...she knew what all of them were and had been able to master each one of them in no time, surprising even Lei with her ability to learn quickly.

"Uh...Lei," she spoke softly, trying to catch his attention, "why exactly am I reading this book again? I thought my lessons no longer involved the written word."

Lei didn't bother looking up from his book as he replied, "I'm well aware of that, Mysti. I'm making you read it so that you can pinpoint which element is your strongest. You remember what I told you about Core Elements, right?"

She frowned, looking back at the page that listed each element and its attributes. She did remember. Core Elements were usually the one element that a sorcerer of her kind had absolute power over. They could manipulate and control that element absolutely, and it also indicated what their weakest element was. Water extinguished fire, fire engulfed the air, air dryed up and froze the earth, earth overtook the water, and aether...well, aether was more or less all the elements rolled into one. The only thing that could defeat aether was...aether. But Mysti had no idea which one she excelled at. She was good with all of them.

"I don't know which one it could be," she grumbled, frustrated, "I've mastered each one equally."

Lei's retort was cool, "Perhaps you're a fire Elemental. It was the first element you mastered."

Mysti resisted the urge to glare at him. She still remembered nearly frying him the first time she'd tried a minor fire spell. The memory of seeing the look of utter shock on his beautiful face made her smile. "Perhaps," she quickly hid her mirth, "but I've also subsequently mastered all the other elements as well. I even beat the other Elemental students attending the schools, and they were far more advanced and all of them had different Core Elements."

Lei turned another page in his book, "Bragging are we? I had no idea you'd let such things get to your head."

Mysti wanted to smack him, "Hey, I'll admit that to think that just because I beat all those other people in competitions would be foolish of me. But you have to admit that I did good!"

Lei finally gave up reading his book and sighed, closing it. He gave Mysti a bored look and said, "Fine, I admit it. You've mastered all of the other elements at an alarming speed, but we still have to determine what your Core Element is. I won't have you entering any more competitions or battles without knowing exactly which element can be used to weaken you."

"Why Lei, I had no idea you cared," Mysti batted her eyelashes at him, plastering a sickeningly sweet look on her face. He glared at her with his usual icy irritation, and she smiled inwardly. Ever since she'd discovered she had feelings for Lei, she'd done all she could to get a rise out of him. It seemed to be the only way she could ever get him to express his emotions. In spite of how cold and nasty he could sometimes be, she'd come to adore the way he was. His confidence, his unflinching loyalty toward the royal family, and his utter genius as a sorcerer. All in all, he was the embodiment of her dream guy...except for the fact that he had no real interest in her at all. She tried not to let that get her down though, because he didn't seem to be interested in _anyone_...except for the former queen, Veedua. She had yet to gain more insight into that...

"Don't you have a graduation ceremony to attend back in that other world?" Lei said cooly, smirking triumphantly at the look of panic that brought up on her face.

Mysti leapt up from the chair, tossing the book on elements up into the air and making the skirt of her flowing sun dress flutter around her thighs. She'd chosen a lovely forest green dress to go underneath her gown at the graduation ceremony. Back in her world, she was graduating high school.

"Crap! I have to go now! See ya Lei!" She held up her seven-sided mirror and disappeared into it, leaving Lei behind to smirk at the spot where she'd been.

_**I can hardly believe how far she's come in such a short time**_, he thought to himself. He admitted it, he was impressed by her. Her latent abilities had been far more powerful and easier to cultivate than he'd expected. She learned fast, also a plus. Her confidence had improved, and she'd cut back on the emotional outbursts as well. Nowadays, he only had to listen to her describe how uppity he was every other week, instead of every day. He almost missed the way her eyes flashed at him in anger and the blush of her cheeks as she gave him a good dressing-down...

_**I'm doing it again!**_ He did _not _miss her eyes or her blushes, or even her spitfire temper. No, his heart was full of another. The fact that he'd been having to remind himself of that more and more often over the past few weeks was beginning to worry him.

As always, when he began to doubt himself, he looked deep within himself at his heart...

"Lei-sama? I'm sorry to interrupt, but Airi-sama wishes to have a word with you," Yuino appeared in the entrance of the lounge, looking bashful. Lei tried not to let his irritation show. Lately he'd been feeling differently about his assistant. Something about her just made him feel...upset. It was almost as if some part of him was beginning to hate her, even though he had no logical reason to do so. He _had _caught her staring at Mysti several times, looking almost as if she wanted to sink a dagger through the Elemental's heart...but that wasn't right. Yuino was friendly with everyone, and she had no hatred in her. He'd picked her specifically because of that. He knew she was much too smart to let anger into her heart.

"I'll be there shortly," he said calmly, promising to examine his inner feelings later, "thank you, Yuino-san."

-----

Mysti shook hands with the principle of her school and accepted her diploma with a big smile on her face. _**I'm finally done with high school! Freedom is sweet! **_Now she would be able to move permanantly to Astale. As she walked proudly off of the stage back to her seat, she contemplated the joys of owning her own home in Astale. Jeile had given her a special home, spacious and equipped for just about everything she needed to live on her own. He'd offered her a permanant residence in the castle, but she'd declined, not wanting to impose just because she was related to him. Her new home wasn't that far away from the castle, just half a mile away on a cliff overlooking the royal city. The fact that she wouldn't have television or any of the modern-day appliances she was used to didn't bother her in the least. TV rotted the brain, and she liked working hard for her comfort. She had insisted on indoor plumbing though. There was no way she was giving up toilets and hot showers.

She looked over the crowd for familiar faces, trying not to get her hopes up that Airi and Mariabel were there. She'd invited them both, having become fast friends with them over time, but knew that they were both busy with whatever it was that royalty had to keep themselves busy with.

She spotted them both in the second highest row of bleachers in the huge auditorium. Airi waved at her and smiled, and Mariabel did the same, looking incredibly regal as always. Mysti couldn't help but feel overjoyed that they'd made it.

After the ceremony, she met up with the two of them outside the massive building. Airi gave her a friendly hug, and congratulated her. "I'm so glad you came!" Mysti smiled brilliantly, unzipping her gown to expose her sun dress.

"Are you kidding?" Airi grinned, "As if we would miss an occasion as monumental as this. Plus, we both got you presents, and there's a surprise waiting for you back in Astale."

Mysti fought back tears of gratitude. "Th-thank you. Nobody has ever really done so much for me, and you absolutely did not have to get me anything. Just showing up was good enough."

Mariabel smiled at her brilliantly, "Oh, please. You're our friend. You deserve all of it. Now we have to get going. You don't get your gifts until we get back to Astale."

"Let's go then!" Mysti said, excited. She grabbed both of them by their wrists and led them to a private area where they would not be seen. In a flash, Mysti and the others were all standing in the courtyard of the royal palace. It was night time in Astale, and the stars glittered in the heavens like thousands of tiny pinpoints of glass. The air smelled crisp and clean, and Mysti had to say that this was one of the most beautiful nights she'd ever seen here in Astale. It was a pity her parents had long ago abandoned their homeland for the stuffy, polluted air of the city in another world. They'd disowned her when they'd learned where she'd been going, but Jeile had ignored their cruelty and gifted her with her own estate, as a separate branch of the Deanoia family.

Suddenly, a package was placed in her hands. She stared down at it in confusion before realizing that it was a gift from Airi. She opened it and smiled when she pulled out a pair of golden earrings. They were shaped like tiny exotic birds that reminded her of the bird she'd seen one month ago. She'd told no one about the encounter, and had been trying to find the bird ever since. She'd been so far unsuccessful, but hope sprang eternal.

"These are beautiful," she breathed as she put them on. They went perfectly with her dress, matching the golden trim around the bottom of the skirt.

Airi beamed, "I'm glad you like them. You're always playing with that golden feather you found, so I thought I'd get you some golden birds to match it."

"Thank you so much," Mysti fingered the tiny birds and smiled.

"My turn!" Mariabel snapped her fingers and a footman instantly appeared holding a large white box. Mariabel opened the box and pulled out the most beautiful gown Mysti had ever seen. Patterns of golden threads were sewn into several delicate shades of green silk and brocade so that they looked like her favorite feather. Flowers of the same gold thread were sewn into the sleeves and the bottom of the skirt so that it looked like they had fallen from the air and settled on the dress. The neckline dipped low, and it would emphasize the elegance of the wearer's neck and shoulders, and the sleeves and skirt flowed like water. Mariabel held the dress up against Mysti and gave a satisfactory nod. "Perfect," Mariabel said confidently, "the seamstress' magic did not disappoint. You'll look beautiful in this on your wedding day."

Mysti sputtered, "Wh...what? But Mariabel, I'm not getting married yet..."

"Oh, pish," Mariabel smiled at her, "it never hurts to be prepared. Besides, you're well past the age limit in Astale. I'm sure you'll have many suitors, and I wanted you to be prepared. The dress will only fit you. I had it bespelled so that no one else would ever be able to wear it. Do you like it?"

Mysti stroked the fine material, "I love it, Mariabel. But this is such a luxurious gown...are you sure you want me to have it?"

Mariabel snorted in an unladylike manner, "I just told you I had it spelled so that only you could wear it. Besides, green is your color, and your earrings will match it."

Mysti smiled, her heart full of gratitude, "Thank you so much. I'll keep it safe. Maybe someday I will be able to wear it to my wedding."

Mariabel smiled triumphantly and carefully placed the dress back in its box. She instructed the footman to send it to Mysti's home so that it would be there waiting for her when she finally arrived.

"Now," Mysti said, rubbing her hands together in anticipation, "what was this surprise you two mentioned?"

The two princesses looked at each other and grinned mischeiviously. They grabbed Mysti and lead her into the castle. They stopped in the dining hall, where they let go of a stunned Mysti and stood back to admire their handiwork.

"My god..."

Mysti could hardly believe what she was seeing. The massive table was decorated with elaborate looking flower arrangements and all sorts of delectable foods. Several more of her friends that she'd made from the local magic school stood smiling around it underneath a magically levitating banner that read: CONGRATULATIONS MYSTI!!!

It was the single happiest night of Mysti's life. She sat with all her friends and they ate and drank and partied themselves silly. They stayed up until the wee hours of the morning, Mysti being the last one to fall asleep. She sat next to a window and stared out at her homeland, sighing wistfully.

Finally, Mysti's eyes began to droop closed, and she ended up falling asleep in the massive chair. She didn't wake up until the rays of the morning sun reached gently across her face. Squinting as she opened her eyes, she quietly yawned and sat up, stretching out her cramped muscles. She pursed her lips when she realized that she'd fallen asleep in her dress, but inwardly shrugged and stood up. Padding across the floor in bare feet, she made her way to the garderobe, and from there she walked out to the gardens.

As always, she was alone as she marveled at the botanical beauty around her. _**Nothing better than sun-kissed flowers to wake a body up in the morning!**_ She looked up into the cloudless sky and smiled, happy to be alive.

"Good morning, Mysti Deanoia."

The voice was husky and proud, and it scared her enough to make her jump. Yelping softly, Mysti whirled to face the former queen Veedua, who wore an amused smile.

"Good morning to you as well, your grace," Mysti smiled and gave her a slight bow. She had to admit, Veedua was an intimidating woman, even if she wasn't the queen any longer. Just thinking about what she must have been like back then was enough to make Mysti shake in her boots. It was no surprise that Lei had eyes only for her. Such a powerful woman would be a draw to any man like him.

"Please, call me Veedua," the former queen was currenly reclining on an ornate stone bench. She straightened up and patted the spot next to her. Mysti swallowed nervously and accepted the silent invitation to sit down next to her. She fidgeted with her rumpled skirt, embarassed to be sitting next to the immaculate Veedua in a wrinkled dress with dirty bare feet and messy hair. _**I haven't even had a bath yet! I probably smell awful...**_

"I heard from Airi that you've graduated from your school in the other world. Congratulations. Does this mean you will be moving to Astale permanantly?"

Mysti smiled and nodded, "Yes, Veedua-sama. I'm very happy that high school is over for me. Now I can focus on becoming a good sorceress."

Veedua's smile was calculating, "Planning on showing up your teacher?"

Mysti tried not to look too surprised, but she still ended up gaping, "N-no! I mean...not really. I do admire the level of skill Lei has attained, but I don't think I could ever surpass him. Not that I won't try that is."

Veedua chuckled softly and they settled into a companionable silence. Normally, Mysti would have been extremely uncomfortable, but when she peeked at Veedua and saw the contented smile on the older woman's face, she found herself relaxing a little. Veedua would always be intimidating and powerful, but just like every other woman in existence there was a softness inside her. It helped that she had been a mother for many years now. Children always brought out the best in their mothers (most of the time anyway). They sat and watched as butterflies and hummingbirds flitted through the flowers. The trickle of the nearby stream and the leaves rustling in the wind were the only sounds one could hear.

"You love Lei, don't you Mysti, dear?"

Mysti almost fell over. She stared in horror at Veedua and tried valiantly not to blush. It didn't work of course.

Veedua ignored her befuddlement, "You shouldn't let the fact that he's stubborn as a mule keep you from feeling what you do. You should fight for him. He admires strength."

"V-Veedua-sama..." Mysti swallowed the lump in her throat, "I...I don't know..."

"I think you do," Veedua gave her a hooded look, one that said she saw through all of Mysti's blustering, "I think you know exactly how you feel, and exactly what you need to do. The only thing left is to convince Lei that you are the one he needs and loves. He can be quite close-minded at times, our Lei. Like you, he will only learn through demonstration. You must find a way to wake him up Mysti. I've done my best to steer him away from me. I know you've seen the way he looks at me."

Mysti looked away, "He loves you dearly."

Veedua sighed, her smile sad, "I know. He has from the day he first met me. I should have known better than to toy with him as I have since that day. He is a slave to his heart, and he believes it still lies with me. I neither desire nor deserve his love, Mysti. I stole his heart, and I'm doing my best to give it back to him, but my efforts have proved ineffective at best. He needs you."

"How do you know that for sure?" Mysti stood up and frowned at Veedua, "He seems to function perfectly fine without me. He's never asked me to do anything with him. Hell, we don't even meet up after my daily lessons!" She stared down at her feet, scowling at herself and her inadequacies, "He doesn't need or want me. You are right about me being in love with him, but there is no way that would move him. He'd probably just laugh in my face and tell me to keep dreaming."

Veedua stood and lifted Mysti's face with a single finger. Mysti felt a small jolt of fear as she made contact with the former queen. Gone was the warm, sad smile she had worn earlier. In its place was something that spoke purely of power. _**This woman may no longer sit on the throne, but she will always rule over others...and she doesn't necessarily enjoy it either...**_ Because underneath that power lay a sadness. Power only went so far. There was more to life, and it looked as if she'd missed out on some of that and regretted it.

"You are giving up far too soon, Mysti dear. I have watched you during your time here. You have more power over him than you realize. Perhaps, if not now then very soon, you will have more power over him than I ever had. He does not show it, but it does move him. Make him feel uncomfortable. Disturb his daily routine. Wake him up. That is what you do to him, what you've done since your arrival. You've changed him. So I ask you, take what he's always believed to belong to me for yourself. Steal him away. You and I both know that eventually, if he does not move on, I will destroy him. I may not love him as you do, but I do care for him in a maternal sort of way."

Veedua released her and silently began walking back toward the palace. Just before she was out of earshot, the former queen spoke over her shoulder, a smile in he voice.

"Take good care of him, Mysti dear," Veedua plucked a flower from a bush and twirled it between her fingers, "I trust only you with such a task."

After she left, Mysti stood there in silence for a long time. She hadn't expected Veedua to come right out and address the issue. In fact, she'd expected that Lei's feelings for the woman would remain unaddressed for the rest of her days. But now... Something small and white fluttered at her feet, and Mysti bent down and lifted up a small piece of paper. It was an invitation to the graduation ceremony after party at the sorcery school. Mysti had her own, but she wasn't sure she wanted to go because she had no one to escort her. Then, she remembered what Veedua had asked her to do. Mysti felt her heart skip a beat as she realized just what Veedua had been hinting at when she'd left this for her to find. _**Crafty, Veedua-sama, very sly.**_ She'd been right about her giving up too soon. Mysti couldn't afford to fall back into her old routine any longer. She had a new future. She was the second head of the Deanoia house under King Jeile. It was time she proved that she was a big girl who knew what she wanted, not a sniveling coward who was still stuck in a grade-school frame of mind. If she wanted Lei to see her as more than a student she was going to have to put forth a better effort.

The former queen was a very wise woman indeed.

-------------------------------------------------------------

"You want me to what?" Lei stared at her as if she'd lost her mind, but Mysti just kept smiling.

"I want you to escort me to the reception after I graduate from the academy. You are my teacher, and it would reflect well on you if you showed you supported me, both as a sorcerer and a member of the royal family."

"Mysti-"

"Don't you dare make up an excuse," she grinned at him, "I'm not going to lie, I'm putting a lot on the line asking you. I know how you feel about me, and that the idea of taking me to a function that's basically nothing more than a magical version of prom night isn't exactly at the top of your to-do list, but just think about it, okay? I'm not asking you to say yes. I'm just asking you to consider it. It's only one night, and I'll never ask you to do something like this for me again."

Lei looked skeptical. Mysti decided to throw in one last bit of desperation, "Look, I just...I really need someone I can depend on. Pretty much all the royal families are going to be there, schmoozing and being snooty and nasty like all royalty can be at times. I'd rather have someone I can truely trust with me when I face them. I need you, Lei." She stared up into his frosty blue eyes and mentally sighed, waiting for his reply. She wasn't sure what she would do once he rejected her, but at least she could walk away knowing that she'd tried.

Lei stared down at her, keeping his face stoic. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he opened that sinfully gorgeous mouth of his and said...

"Very well, I accept."

Mysti prayed to the Powers that Be that her mouth wasn't hanging open like a fish's. There was a sound off to the left, and they looked over to see a pale-faced Yuino. She'd dropped the stack of papers she'd been holding and quickly began to scramble after them. Lei restrained Mysti from helping her with a gentle hand on her arm. The contact of skin on skin buzzed up his arm like arcs of electricity. He rarely let himself touch another person, especially Mysti. She was soft, warm, and so much more delicate than she looked. The vulnerability in her eyes had twisted something in the region of his heart. She stared up at him now in shock, a blush staining her cheeks.

"I'll be escorting you to the graduation anyway," he continued, "so it's not a problem for me to stay through the reception. And you're right, I do need to support you. I have standing with the other royal families, coming from one myself. It will help you be accepted more quickly if I am seen with you."

"Well...that's not the only reason I want you to go with me," she blushed scarlet, "I-I...I think of you as a...friend. A-and I just thought it would be nice to have someone to talk to through it all." She looked down at her feet, then gasped when she realized that she was still barefoot. She'd come running up to Lei's study after her encounter with Veedua, forgetting what she looked like. _**I must look like a total train wreck!!! I can't believe I let him see me like this!**_

"I have to go now!" she squeaked, jumping out of his grasp and running for the door. "Thanks Lei!"

He stared after her, a small, private smile lighting up his features before he quickly hid his feelings and turned to Yuino. "Are you alright, Miss Yuino?"

Yuino nodded, smiling sheepishly, "Yes, Lei-sama. I tripped, that's all. So you're...escorting Mysti-sama to her graduation?"

Lei could hardly believe it, but it was the truth. "Yes, it appears that I am."

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That _bitch_.

How _dare _she do this!

She was going to steal him away for good this time!

Yuino glared at the papers on her desk, glad that Lei was out of the room at the moment, and swept everything off her desk with one angry movement of her arm. Glass shattered, papers flew everywhere, and ink stained the ornate rug. She didn't give a damn. At that moment, all she wanted was to see Mysti drawn and quartered.

"I'll kill her."

Yuino hissed the words through gritted teeth. She paced the room, trying to come up with a fitting end to the homewrecking little tramp that had wrapped herself around Lei's heart. When she'd heard him say yes to Mysti's offer, Yuino had lost her grip on reality. Lei was going out on a _date_ with the little bitch, and there was nothing Yuino could do about it. Not directly anyway.

_**If I attack her directly she'll kill me. Lei-sama taught her well. She's too much for me. **_Yuino was far less adept at magick than Mysti. That left her with only one option. She'd have to find someone else to do away with her. But who?

Just then, something caught her eye. She reached down and picked up one of the papers that Lei had asked her to bring to his office. She saw Mysti's family name and read further, a vicious smile spreading across her features. Once she was finished reading the report on a particularly dangerous prisoner in one of the most hazardous prisons in Astale, she threw her head back and laughed.

This was too perfect. She had just the weapon she needed right in her hands to get rid of little miss Deanoia. Perhaps killing her was going a step to far though. She'd just tell her the truth that Lei and the others had been hiding from her the entire time she'd been here. Mysti was a sensitive girl. She wouldn't take such a betrayal of trust lightly. She might even swear never to come back again and leave Astale forever. With a little convincing from "sweet, caring, trustworthy" Yuino, she might even smash the portal she kept with her and forget she'd ever even known about Astale.

This was going to be so delicious.

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_Ta-dah! Merry Christmas y'all! I read the reviews and they all made me smile and feel warm and fuzzy! I'm sooooooo sorry that I made you guys wait. I work five out of seven days a week (nine hours a day) and I'm usually too tired to be creative afterward, so that's what's caused the delays! Hopefully this chappy will keep you all sated until I can get the next one up! More reviews! They're what motivated me to complete this chapter!_


	5. Broken Hearts and Golden Birds

_Ah, chaos. How I despise it. I've lost my story guidline that I was using to help me write this fic (crap!), I've had to maim several people just so I could get time on the family's communal computer (double crap!), and...well I really just feel exhausted. But I'm going to do my best, so if the story seems kind of shaky and unstable structure-wise...well, I'm going to try and hold it together!_

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**Chapter Five**

"I can't believe this is really happening."

Mysti stared at her reflection in the floor-length mirror in her bedroom as Airi and Mariabel helped her into her ceremonial dress...well, Airi and Mariabel's attendants, that is. Mariabel stood back and observed, ordering her servants about in her usual manner.

"You can't believe it?" Airi straightened out a few pins in Mysti's hair, then placed a decorative accessory that matched the golden embroidery on her long, blue, elegant dress, "I can't believe Lei actually said yes! He said _yes_, as in, yes to a _date_!"

Mysti felt herself turning red. "Oh, it's not really a date Airi-" she was abrubtly cut off when one of the servants pulled a corset tight over her ribs, squeezing her lungs together inside of her chest and deflating them like balloons. As she gasped and frantically tried to suck in air, Mariabel frowned and shook her head.

"No, the corset won't work," she motioned elegantly with her hand, "remove it. Mysti is going to do just fine without it. You're actually quite comely, Mysti."

Mysti looked down at herself, smiling privately. She'd lost a lot of weight since she'd started her lessons as an Elemental. _**I wonder if anyone else has noticed? Maybe Lei...**_ She was so not going there, she told herself. As if she wasn't nervous enough worrying about how not to embarass both her and Lei while looking and sounding like royalty. She didn't need the added strain of wondering whether Lei found her attractive physically. _**Besides, even if he doesn't now, I'll find a way to make him see me as a woman he would want.**_ And not just on his arm at a party either. She wanted to be his equal...his friend. Lover was a stretch, but there was plenty of time to work up to that. She wasn't sure about the whole "sex" side of things, mainly because she'd never had it, and she wasn't about to assume that Lei would ever be attracted to her in that way.

"Thanks, Mariabel," Mysti let her thoughts slide away, breathing deeply as the corset was removed, "for the compliment and for taking my ribs out of that vice grip. How do people wear those stupid things and not pass out?"

Mariable twirled a lock of her silky hair around on of her fingers and smiled, "Actually, sometimes they do lose consciousness. It's merely a fashion statement. One wants to look delicate, and for those who cannot lose the weight a corset simply pushes it out of the way. It also makes your bust look more...well, busty. Not that you need it, Mysti. You're perfectly proportioned. I wouldn't be surprised if Lei tries to kiss you tonight."

Mysti could have sworn smoke was coming out of her ears, because her brain had just blown a gasket at the mere thought of Lei laying one on her...that was her other problem. She'd never been kissed before either. She'd seen it when some of her old friends in high school had made out with their boyfriends at parties. There'd been a lot of sloppy noises, lots of groping, and their mouths had been welded together like they were trying to suck the breath out of each others' lungs. It had been embarassing and uncomfortable...

She couldn't wait for her first kiss.

In spite of her virginal stupidity, she still wanted what those other people had been so thoroughly enjoying.

If it was with Lei...well...

"You're all done, Mysti," Airi interrupted that fascinating train of thought and stepped back, "Take a look and see if there's anything you want to change."

Mysti had to take a few deep breaths before replying as she stared at her reflection in awe, "It's...perfect." She looked like a lady. Her dark hair was done up so that some of it was piled on top of her head, resembling a bejeweled nest of elegant curls. A few wisps of hair floated down to land softly near her eyes, and her dress was something a princess would wear. Then, a troubling thought occurred to her as she looked at herself more closely.

_**I look...like Veedua-sama.**_

Indeed, she looked exactly like Veedua. Her hair was the same style the former queen favored, and the dress was almost exactly like one she'd seen Veedua wearing a few weeks ago, save for the color and embroidery. That just wouldn't do. She wanted Lei to see her, not an emulation of the person who was...well, technically, the former queen was her competition.

"I...I want to change one thing," she said, reaching up and pulling several pins out of her hair. Layers and layers of her fragrant locks spilled around her face, framing her pale skin like brown silk curtains. Finally, she smiled at herself, liking the way she'd left a small part of her hair bound while the rest of it hung loose. Now, she could see her face instead of Veedua's, and her smile broadened even more. Airi and Mariabel exchanged knowing looks and grinned.

Mysti stepped away from the mirror and turned to her friends, feeling confident, "I'm ready."

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_**Who the hell am I kidding? I'm so not ready for this!**_ Mysti thought frantically as she looked up into Lei's eyes in front of the sorcery academy's ballroom. She felt her heart beating against her ribs like it wanted to hop out and say hello as Lei met her gaze steadily and bowed slightly in greeting. She stiffly returned his bow and wished like hell she'd asked Mariabel to remove the corset from her rib cage...oh, wait, she had removed it. Mysti had just lost function in her lungs was all.

Then again, Lei was, as always, breathtaking. He was wearing a blue silk number that was like a masculine version of her dress. His robe went down to his knees, and his pants drapeds his legs with their perfectly pressed folds. The blue in his clothes was a few shades darker than hers, making him look even more handsome. The ice blue of his eyes seemed to glow because of it, like two stars in the night sky.

He stood in front of her, still holding her gaze, "Are you ready to go inside now?"

Mysti was having trouble chaining two thoughts together as she swallowed and numbly nodded her head. Lei calmly offered her his arm and she linked her trembling hand through to rest on the crook of his elbow. As they began moving foward with the crowd of exquisitely dressed guests, Mysti couldn't help but feel out of place. It didn't really matter if the blood in her veins was royal, or that she could summon forth five powerful elements of magick with a mere thought. She would never fit in with high society, and that was why she'd wanted Lei to come along, plus she wanted to get closer to him. Now she was beginning to regret ever R.S.V.P.-ing for the after-party. She could have dealt with going home after the ceremony and settling down with a good book and a glass of tea. In fact, maybe if she just asked Lei to take her home once she had her magical diploma...

She peered up at him and sighed inwardly. No, she was going to be brave. No more running just because she was embarassed or afraid of what others might think. She would just hold her head up high and try not to trip on her skirts and fall on her face.

Lei's voice startled her, and he gave her an oddly comforting look as he said, "You're nervous."

Mysti tried not to blush, "What makes you say that?"

Lei could feel the beginnings of a smile trying to play across his lips, but he forced himself to remain expressionless, "You've got an iron grip on my arm, for one, and you're twisting your skirt with your other hand. You'll tear it up if you don't stop."

She immediately loosened her grip on both her skirt and his arm, would have taken her hand off of him completely if he hadn't placed his hand on top of hers and held it there. This time he did smile as crimson flushed her cheeks and she looked away. "Sorry," she muttered.

Lei stopped them in front of an ornate flowerbed and released her so he could look them over, speaking quietly over his shoulder as he bent down and selected a brilliant blue lily that stood up prooudly in the setting sunlight, "You don't need to be sorry. It is a normal feeling when it's your first time at a function like this."

Mysti couldn't help but stare at the flower in his hand as he plucked it from its stem and straightened. It looked so delicate, its ice blue petals so thin they were nearly transparent. They glowed in the dimming light like Lei's eyes as he turned to face her and reached for her. She forced herself not to flinch as he carefully tucked the flower into her hair. She blinked up at him, too shocked to say anything as the cool petals caressed her cheek like water.

Lei's smile made her feel like the world was spinning, even if it was a small one. It lit up his features, warming them into something so beautiful she had no words to describe it. Not that she had the cognizance to actually speak at the moment.

"I know I don't show it, in words or in actions, but I am proud of you," he said, looking slightly uncomfortable as his smile quickly faded away, "and I know you will do well tonight and in the years to come. You are...very strong, Mysti. Stronger than I'd expected at first, but now I..." He paused, searching for the right words. He appeared to be fighting some sort of internal battle with himself. Finally, he recovered, looking less uncomfortable, "I just want you to know that you have my support, no matter what."

Mysti, amazingly, managed to recover her voice as she gently placed her hand back on his arm and they began to walk toward the ceremony, "Thank you...thank you for that, and for all that you've done for me."

He appeared taken aback by her gentle smile and quiet thanks, but quickly recovered. With a nod acknowledging her thanks, he led her into the bright lights of the ballroom...

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Lei felt like an idiot.

Scratch that. He was more of a besotted fool.

When he'd seen her arrive dressed as she was, with her hair dancing wildly about her delicate features as if it were mimicking her flowing skirts, something inside of him had come undone.

His brain from his spinal column, apparently, because heaven only knew that was the only reason he would have ever uttered such foolish words...

He'd seen his share of beautiful women before, and none of them affected him this way. He preferred girls who kept themselves neat and tidy and all in place. He liked them polished and proper and completely confident.

Mysti should not have charmed him. She was wild and always going against order. She had an almost nonexistent sense of propriety and still suffered from a sense of self-depreciation that she tried to keep to herself by hiding behind a massive temper. She was chaos embodied. She represented everything he didn't want in a woman.

And yet here he was, starstruck by the way she smiled up at him, the flower he'd tucked behind her ear taunting him with the terrible truth of it all. Hell, even the way she trembled slightly as she faced her peers struck him as adorable.

As he escorted her to where the rest of her classmates stood waiting, he tried to tell himself that it was just him getting caught up in the moment. His pride in her had overwhelmed him and the atmosphere was making it hard for him to concentrate on his true feelings.

Thing was, he was _never _overwhelmed, not by circumstances such as this. He'd been to several functions just like this one in the past few months, and none of them had ever affected him this much. _**It's only because she's your student that you feel this way. It has to be.**_ As the ceremony began he had to keep reminding himself over and over again. He chanted the words _it's because she's my student_ in his mind, but as the minutes passed by he began to believe himself less and less.

He looked up when Mysti's name was announced. Jeile beamed at his cousin as she bowed before him, and he recited the oath for her to take as a sorceress in the royal family. She swore to uphold all that was just, and to never misuse her powers no matter the circumstance. It was like this for every member of the royal families. Nobility in general never swore to anything, but the ruling class...it was their responsibility to protect their subjects. Mysti may never have any subjects to rule over, but she was taking the oath anyway. She'd asked her cousing to present her with it because even though she wasn't ever going to be a queen, she wanted to be held responsible for all her actions. She wanted to help Astale and its people.

And damn him if it didn't make him want her all the more for it.

No. Wait. He didn't want her at all. He just wanted her to be happy wherever she went in life. That was what all teachers wanted for their students when they graduated, right? He was just obscenely proud that she was so responsible and honorable. She would do this world much good.

In no time at all, the ceremony was over, and the after party was in full swing. Mysti appeared at his side, clutching her hands together as she beamed up at him.

"I did it," she said, sounding amazed at herself, "I actually did it. I thought for sure I was going to pass out in front of everyone, but I didn't. I said the words, and now it feels like I'm still coming off of the ceiling, but I actually did it right, didn't I?"

Lei met her stare, willing his voice to be steady as he replied, "Yes, you did very well."

She positively glowed, and he tried not to let it get to him as the crowd around them began pairing off for the first dance of the evening.

"Thank you, Lei," she nervously tucked a strand of hair behind the ear opposite the flower, "what you said before we came in here...it really helped. I just kept repeating your words in my head while I was up there, and before I knew it I'd said the oath and I was an official sorceress. It almost feels surreal."

Lei nodded slighlty, the strangest urge to smile overtaking him. He pushed it away and said, "Since this is your first official ball, I'm assuming you would like to dance."

Mysti almost said no, because she was absolutely certain she was going to step all over his feet, but then she remembered what Veedua had said. She loved Lei, so it didn't matter what she thought she was going to do. It was what she _actually _did that mattered. She just hoped that she would be able to keep up with him once they started waltzing.

"Um...if you wouldn't mind," she took a deep breath, "yes, I would love to dance just once. We really don't have to stay long afterward. Just one dance."

Lei offered her his hand and she took it, "Then I shall lead the way."

When they finally began to sway with the crowd to the music it felt as thought something was shifting within her heart. This felt _right_ somehow, like she was supposed to be the one who did this with him, now and always. The feeling was heady, and it made her light on her feet. Suddenly, the complicated dance became less complex, and her limbs became steady as she whirled through the crowd of brightly colored dresses and unnaturally beautiful people that were suddenly invisible to her. All that mattered was the fact that Lei was dancing with her at her first ball. He was her prince charming, even if it was just for one dance.

Lei couldn't breathe as he looked down at Mysti, and it was for a number of reasons. One thing was for sure, his thoughts were so scattered he was surprised he didn't actually mess up and trip. Him, mess up. It didn't seem to be the same for Mysti though, because it was like she was dancing on air. She had never looked more confident than she did at that moment...or more beautiful.

Yes, he thought, she was beautiful to him.

Suddenly, he needed air. His lungs seized up and his heart skipped several beats, and he abrubtly let go of her so that he could press a shaking hand to his chest. He met her stare, and saw an expression of utter shock come over her features. Before she could say anything, Lei said unsteadily, "I'm feeling ill. I will be out on the terrace for just a moment. Stay here and mingle. I'll be fine." He walked away before she could argue or ask what was wrong, and he was surprised that she didn't follow.

He waded through the sea of graduates and their families for what seemed like an eternity, the colors of their outfits beginning to make him dizzy. Finally, he reached the open terrace doors and stumbled out. He made his way over to a dark, abandoned corner and fell against the railing. God, the pain in his chest...it felt like his heart was being torn in two. What the hell was wrong with him?

_**Why am I suddenly doubting myself all the time? Why do I have to constantly remind myself that she is nothing more than a student? That she means nothing to me beyond that?**_ He knew she loved him, but that should not have mattered either. For some reason, the thought that she cared for him as more than a teacher, as a man, made his heart seize up. It _hurt_ thinking about her lovely face, about all the things that made her so special as an individual. But why did it matter to him? _Why did he care?_

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Mysti's inner glow was gone now, smothered by the look of unguarded terror and uncertainty that had been on Lei's face before he left her on the dancefloor. She watched as he disappeared into the crowd, not caring that she was receiving some nasty looks from some of the other nobility. Slowly, she began following him, not sure if she should just leave him be or if she should pursue him and ask what she'd done wrong.

Because that look had been directed soley at her, almost accusing in it's intensity.

_**I don't know what I did,**_ she thought as she began to speed up, pushing through the crowd toward the terrace, _**but I have to see if he's okay. I have to see if I can fix this. **_Fixing was the magic she was best at, after all. Even if it didn't seem so magical, she knew she could make it better, whatever it was that was troubling him. She had to. That was what you did for the people you loved.

When she finally found him he was staring out at the elaborate gardens that spanned almost five acres of land beyond the ballroom doors. He looked unusually worn, as if whatever had been eating away at him on the inside had finally made its way to the outside as well. He turned his tired eyes toward her, and she felt a jolt of icy dread shoot through her veins. There was something nasty in his eyes, something broken. He'd reached whatever limit had been looming over him and had passed it, and he was breaking apart.

"We can never see each other ever again after this," he said quietly.

Mysti felt the ground fall out from underneath her, "What?"

Lei straightened up, looking absolutely misereable, as if his own words were tearing him apart as he spoke them, "You know precisely what I meant. You are no longer my student, so this is goodbye. This night is the last time you will see me unless you and I cross paths while you are visiting the palace."

"But you just said _ever_, Lei," Mysti's voice shook, and she cleared her throat to steady it, "why would you say that?"

"Because I don't want to see you, Mysti," Lei stared out at the night sky while he said it, not meeting her gaze, "I don't want to see you ever again."

Mysti felt every bone in her body stiffen, then she took a step toward him, reaching out in an effort to close the chasm that had opened up between them, "Lei, whatever it is that I've done I want to make it right. Please, don't say such coldhearted things like you mean them. I can fix this..."

Lei jerked away from her hand as if it were a snake about to strike, and the look in his eyes was one of desperation. Mysti had to admit that this was scaring her. She'd never seen Lei panick, and as far as she knew, he never had panicked. He was supposed to be rock steady, an immovable force in the kingdom of Astale.

"Lei-"

"No!" he exclaimed, his arms crossing in front of him as if to protect himself from her, "Do not touch me! I want nothing more to do with you, you hear me? _Nothing! _All you've done since you arrived here was turn my world on its head and bluster through my life like all the work I did to get myself there in the first place was for nothing. You've _ruined_ me, somehow you've broken something and it cannot be fixed. I just want you to go away, I just want what I was back. I want my order back. You have no place in that order."

Mysti stared at him, feeling her body go eerily still. Thunder rumbled off in the distance, signaling that a storm was gathering. She hardly noticed it. She couldn't feel anything but the numbness his words brought on. All she could do was stare into his eyes that were filled with a desperation that looked like it bordered on pain. _You have no place in that order_. In other words, she had no place in his heart, and no matter what she did, no matter what Veedua or anyone else said, Lei was never going to let her in. Her love meant nothing to him, and it didn't matter that he didn't know she loved him. He didn't want her. He never would.

She didn't realize she was crying until she felt the tears sliding down her neck. She lifted her hand and numbly rubbed her fingertips through the moisture on her skin, staring dumbly at the teardrop on her forefinger. Slowly, she felt the pain blossoming in her heart until there was nothing but her tears and the aching hole in her chest.

Still, she never looked away from him.

"I love you," she said quietly.

Lei looked away as if pained and said, "No, you do not."

"I love you," a little louder this time.

Lei's expression became enraged and he lunged at her, gripping her shoulders painfully and shaking her, "You. Do. Not. Love. Me."

Mysti ignored the bruising pain of his fingers and practically shouted, "I love you, Lei! Damn it, _I love you!_"

That was when he crushed his mouth to hers. She wasn't sure if he was doing it to silence her, or because he actually wanted to on some level. Because she'd been shouting at him her mouth had been open, and he swept inside of it like he owned that part of her body. It blew her away, the way his lips felt against hers, the way he devoured her. There was anger at first, anger and pain, but slowly, the kiss slowed down, his strokes in and against her turning into something that had nothing to do with hurt and everything to do with longing. Suddenly, his grip loosened, and his arms crushed her to him as he stole her breath. She shyly kissed him back, making him growl softly deep in his throat as he pressed against her fully. Then, once she got the hang of it, she began giving just as much as she was getting. _This _was what she had been waiting for for so long. _This _was her first kiss. She clutched him to her, not wanting it to stop. She was burning, so hot, and she never wanted him to let her go. Because she knew that as soon as their lips parted he was going to walk away from her and never look back.

Finally, they parted on a gasp, Lei's arms still wrapped tightly around her. His eyes were unfocused as they looked deeply into hers. That kiss, evidently, had rocked his world as much as it had rocked hers. She could have sworn she'd felt the ground shake under her feet when his lips had covered hers.

Then, hated clarity came back to him and he released her, taking several steps back.

His voice caught as magick swirled around him, "I'm sorry. This can never be. _I'm so sorry_."

She watched as he was swallowed by a golden glow, his body changing form. Golden feathers appeared, his body shaping into that of a bird. A bird with golden feathers and ice blue eyes. One that she'd been searching for ever since the first time she'd seen it.

Lei took one last pained look at her and flew off into the night, leaving her alone on the terrace as she stared after him.

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_Well...frankly, this chapter ending kind of frustrates me. More than anything though, I'm...embarassed. I can't believe I actually wrote a kiss scene! Woo! It's kind of liberating. I'm going to have to bump up this fic's rating to M just to be on the safe side. Now that I've taken the first step...well, I might just throw in a little smut. Just a little. Not the whole home run but maybe a little tiny glimpse of second base...oh I don't know. Just (cringes) let me know what y'all thought. I'm all nervous n' stuff because the story is starting to really move along in terms of Lei and Mysti's relationship. As always, thanks to the peeps who R&R!_


	6. Lost

_OMG, I AM A TERRIBLE PERSON FOR NEGLECTING THIS STORY AND THE PEOPLE WHO READ IT!!!_

_I apologize profusely for the time wasted on not writing more for this fic._

_I finally girdered my loins and started up again after re-reading what I'd already finished. My God, that last chapter had a ton of grammatical errors and spelling mistakes in it. Not to mention the fact that I did not leave off on an easy place to start from...blargh._

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**Chapter Six**

Veedua walked through the empty corridors of the castle with a purpose. She held her head high, in spite of the fact that there was an air of depression blanketing the castle. It permeated the halls, enhanced by the storm that had been raging for a solid week, flooding the lowlands and darkening the sky. It had been going strong ever since the night of Mysti's graduation, and Veedua had a feeling she knew exactly why.

If only she could find the one who'd set it all off. Lei was absurdly good at disappearing when he felt like it. Not even Yuino had seen him in the past week. His work was piling up, something he never allowed to happen, and he hadn't spoken to a single soul.

Then there was Mysti herself. She hadn't visited the castle once since that night. She'd been holed up in her home, not speaking to anyone except for Airi, who'd gone with Aram to visit her a few days ago. It was from Airi that Veedua had learned what was really going on.

She already knew that Lei wouldn't be in his office, nor would he be in his rooms. Sudden inspiration struck, and Veedua ran with it as she walked briskly out to the gardens. She knew of only one spot Lei might be occupying.

Pay-dirt! Lei sat in the grass under a tree, rain soaking him through the leaves as he stared aimlessly out at the pond. Veedua gripped the handle of her umbrella and scowled in irritation.

"You are more of a fool than I could ever have imagined," Veedua said icily.

Lei didn't even glance up as she stood over him, shielding him from the rain. Not that it mattered. He was soaked to the bone.

"I do not know precisely what was said," she continued, "but what I do know is enough to raise the question I have wanted to ask for a very long time."

"And what might that be, Veedua-sama?" Lei asked weakly, his tone flat. She resisted the urge to kick him, or call down lightening to strike some energy into his flaccid limbs.

"Why would you allow feelings that are really nothing more than a child's fantasy to ruin something that is real?" Veedua stared down at him, willing him to answer, "I know you won't answer. This is because of your so-called feelings for me."

Lei looked up at her then, shocked, "Veedua-sama! To speak of such things-"

"I know of the consequences," Veedua interrupted, "I am no fool in that regard. I also do not care at this particular time what decorum demands. I came here with a request...no, an _order_. As your former queen, I command you to go after Mysti and make right what you have done."

Lei's expression was desolance embodied, and he looked back out at the water, "I will not."

Veedua slapped him. It wasn't as hard as she wanted it to be, but she merely wanted to wake him from his dark reverie, not cut up his face with her rings. He stared up at her in shock, his right cheek turning red. Veedua kept her expression cold and unreadable as she firmly began to name her thoughts, "You have lived in this hopeless state ever since you came here, and I have done nothing to prevent it from becoming the disaster it is today. I am a cruel, selfish woman, Lei, and I have brought hell into the life of a young, beautiful girl because of my sins. But I am not alone in this, and I will not have her suffer due to our idiocy. I would go to her, but I do not have the words she needs to hear, and I am definitely not the one who should be saying them."

"With all due respect, I am unable to comply with your wishes, Veedua-sama," Lei stated in a dead voice.

She glared down at him, "You _love _her, Lei."

"_I do not_," he hissed, clutching his head in his hands.

"You may think that, but we both know it to be true," Veedua rebutted, "and in time, you will realize it. However, I would advise that you realize it sooner rather than later. Otherwise, you will lose her."

Lei was on his feet in an instant, towering over her with an expression of anger on his face. Veedua held her ground, in spite of the fact that he was somewhat intimidating. His eyes were wild as he exclaimed hoarsely, "That is what I want! I want her to be lost to me! Her love is one born of illusion, of fantasy! I could never reciprocate her feelings-"

"So you would rather continue living the way you always have?" Veedua was quickly losing her patience, "You prefer your own illusions to a love that is real, one that would flourish if you were to allow yourself to feel it? I am disappointed in you, Lei. Wallowing in your obvious despair, wishing to continue loving me, who has never loved you even for an instant in the way you wish to be loved. The way Mysti loves you. You fear the changes in your heart, and you would lie to yourself to avoid them. I always credited you with being true to your feelings, Lei. You have always been strong."

"What I feel for you is real," Lei protested weakly.

"I am not convinced you believe yourself any longer," she scowled, "you use what you think to be love as a shield, and it is keeping all the wrong people at bay. If you wish, you can continue living your empty lie, but carefully examine your actions, Lei. This is not something the Lei I know would be doing. Good day." She turned and left him to his thoughts without a backward glance.

--

_"This is not something the Lei I know would be doing."_

And what version of "Lei" did she think she knew? Lei collapsed back in the spot he'd been sitting in, ignoring the mud and the rain. He'd worn a mask for so long even he wasn't sure who he was. Just how well did he know his own heart?

Not well at all, if the turmoil housed in it at that moment was any indication. He was baffled by the anger, the aching loneliness, but most of all, he was confused by the fact that part of him, a very large part, agreed with everything Veedua had said.

He grudgingly looked inside himself, examining carefully what he could of the chaos within him. He saw dogged stubbornness. A whirling mass of confusion. He saw the lies he'd been telling himself for years, all to avoid the discomfort of opening his heart. He saw...

Mysti staring at him as if he'd ripped her heart out.

_**I am a coward**_, he thought, disgusted with himself, _**and I made her suffer. **_But he was suffering too. Why should he have to open up if he did not want to? He had been content with his life the way it used to be. Even if (and it stung that Veedua so openly rejected him...not that he hadn't known of her lack of feelings for him) Veedua did not return his love, it was enough to be able to see her...

_**I am lying to myself yet again. **_

Perhaps, at first, he had really been in love with Veedua. She was a strong woman, beautiful and confident. He admired a woman who knew what she wanted and went after it. But when he really looked at his feelings, truly examined them instead of just giving into the urge to hide behind a lie, he saw them for what they really were. At some point, his love had lessened into something akin to...well, a shield. Exactly what Veedua had said. He was using it as an excuse to continue living uninterrupted by true passion. He'd been so focused on remaining unchanged, by avoiding really living, that he'd forgotten just how _good _it was to truly love someone...and not an illusion that would never come to be real.

And, now that he'd made that realization, he saw that Mysti _did_ fit some of the things he wanted in a woman. She was not afraid to let her thoughts be known, a fact he'd been introduced to first-hand. She was strong, incredibly so, when she needed to be. But on top of everything else, she'd been brave enough to face him and tell him she loved him.

And what had he done?

He'd thrown it in her face, shouting lies and denying the truth from himself, something he _never _did. It was because of that denial that he was now in this state. He had always been strong. Where was his strength now?

"Has all of it fled in the face of this...chaos?" he asked the rain, "And am I willing to continue such a blatant lie for the rest of my days?"

He stood up, determination filling him with renewed energy. The answer was a definite "no". He was going to fix this. No matter how long it took him, and he knew it was going to be a while before Mysti forgave his idiocy, he would make things right. And he would do his best to open up to her, to understand what love really was. He still wasn't sure he was as deeply in love with her as she obviously was with him, but he was willing to give it a try.

Time to get to work.

--

"Come on, Mysti," Airi handed her a mug of steaming hot tea and sat next to her on her fluffy, comfortable couch. The one Mysti had been sitting on for the past week, crying into the cushions and alternating between self-pity and righteous anger at both herself and Lei.

"I can't do it," Mysti took the tea with a defeated sigh and stared into it, "he made it clear how well I would be received."

Airi looked frustrated, "I'm telling you, Lei's just being stubborn! And so are you, if you're just giving up! I say you should go back to the castle and give him a piece of your mind. If it helps, he's been just as down in the dumps as you have been, perhaps even more than you. He won't talk to anyone, and nobody's seen him ever since he flew off. You have to go find him, Mysti. I know you still love him. What happened to all that determination?"

Mysti frowned and shook her head, "You don't understand. I ruined his life. He can't possibly..."

"He's probably more in love with you than he's ever been with anyone else before," Airi cut her off, "he's just too much of a coward to face it. Mysti, be brave! Go after him! If he's really the one you were meant to be with, then go remind him of it! You've never let him bring you down this far before, and now is not the time to start. You have to show him that you aren't going to give up on him, no matter what."

Mysti would have protested, but she knew Airi was right. If she should be doing anything, it was marching up to the castle, grabbing Lei by the front of his robes and declaring her love again and again until he finally gave in and admitted the truth. That he was falling for her, and it scared the hell out of him. She would not lose him to fear, his or hers. Besides, he had to answer for deceiving her about the bird who'd listened to her confession so long ago. He'd known about her feelings almost since the first day he'd met her.

"You know what?" Mysti set her tea down and stood up, a fiery determination in her eyes as she grabbed a raincoat and her boots, "You're right! I'm going up there right now, and I'm going to try again. I'll try it as many times as it takes for him to fall for me. Thanks, Airi!" Mysti was out the door before Airi could say anything. She stared after Mysti, chuckling softly. So much for her nice cup of tea.

--

Yuino was torn between happiness and anger. She was happy that Mysti had been gone for a week, and was probably never going to come back to the castle ever again. But on the other hand, Lei seemed to be in a bleak mood...and it was because of Mysti's absence.

_**He'll get over it eventually**_, Yuino thought hopefully as she walked up to the palace gates, _**Lei-sama is strong. He never needed that little slut in the first place. I can't believe she had the audacity to think he would return her feelings. **_It was satisfying to picture how she must have looked when Lei had abandoned her. Put a smile on her face every time.

That smile disappeared though, when she caught sight of a familiar young woman in a raincoat stomping purposefully up to the castle. Yuino began to panic when she realized that the expression on Mysti's face was not one of defeat or heartbreak, but determination. Most likely to win Lei's heart.

The fact that she actually might stand a chance made Yuino angrier than ever.

She needed to come up with a plan, and fast. Something that would drive Mysti away for good this time. Then, realization struck as she remembered what she'd found in Lei's study. A grin split her features, which she quickly hid behind a mask of apprehensive sadness. She needed to look innocent, like she was on Mysti's side, when she broke this little bit of news to her.

"Yuino, I need to speak with Lei," Mysti announced when she finally reached her, "do you know where-"

"Mysti, thank goodness you're here!" Yuino pretended to be breathless, "I've just found out something horrible! Lei-sama has been lying to you!"

Mysti looked stunned by her vehemence, "W-what? What on earth are you talking about?"

Yuino grasped her by the wrist and lead her up into the castle, "Come with me, and I'll show you. They've all been keeping secrets about your family from you, Lei and the royal family."

Mysti stuttered as Yuino dragged her off to the castle library, "Secrets about my family? I...I thought they might be at first, but after a while I just...are you sure they've been keeping secrets?"

Yuino met her gaze steadily, "Absolutely, and it's not fair to you. You could be in danger because of what they haven't told you." She led Mysti toward the darkest part of the library, where no one would find them. Checking to make sure they were alone, she pulled out the papers she'd kept tucked in her pockets in preparation for this moment. Unfolding them, she handed them to Mysti and pretended to look upset. Inside, she was dancing with excitement. This would definitely accomplish what everything else had failed to do.

"What is this?" Mysti asked, reading the first page, "I've seen these names before. Lei said they were probably my aunt and uncle...but the book he gave me listed them as my parents, like this paper. And I never had a brother or sisters..." Yuino knew the exact moment Mysti saw what had happened to all those people, her real family, and suppressed the urge to smile broadly.

"I'm so sorry, Mysti, but you had the right to know." So long, slut.

--

Lei wasn't expecting to run into Mysti on his way out of the castle. He'd planned to go all the way out to her house to find her, but she'd saved him the trip.

"Mysti, I need to talk to you..."

His voice trailed off when he saw the look on her face. She stared up at him with betrayal in her eyes, ignorant of the rain soaking her hair as she stood outside the castle entrance. "You'll catch a cold if you stand in the rain like that," he said softly, reaching to pull her hood up. He was shocked when she jerked out of his reach and glared at him.

"You...and everyone else here," he was shocked to see that she was crying, "you all _lied _to me!"

"Mysti..." he had a terrible feeling in the pit of his stomach. "What are you talking about?"

Mysti smiled bitterly and thrust a handful of papers in his face, "What am I talking about? _My entire family was murdered and you all knew it._"

Lei felt the ground shifting underneath his feet. So she'd found out the truth then? His expression was bitter as he looked down at her and gently took the papers from her fingers, "Yes, we did."

Her expression was one of utter shock, "So you admit it? Just like that?" She took another step away from him, "How _could _you? Those people were my true family! I deserved to know the instant you all realized who I was! Were you _ever _going to tell me?"

Lei grimaced, feeling disgusted with himself, "Their deaths were horrifying, and we did not want to hurt you with the truth until you had become more accustomed to life here. I would have told you when you were better prepared for the truth."

"What a bunch of crap!" Mysti cried, tears beginning to stream down her face, "If you could have, none of you would have ever told me! I would have gone to my grave never knowing the truth if you could have had your way! What's worse is the fact that the man who did it is _still alive!_" She pressed her face into her hands and gave one great heaving sob, fighting the urge to fully break down and cry like a baby.

Lei remained stoic on the outside, but on the inside he was feeling the sting of the truth in her words. "Yes," he said quietly, "I would have never told you, ever, if I had the choice. But you have to understand…"

"Understand what?" Mysti exclaimed, "That everyone thought I was too weak to handle the truth about who I am? I thought I had already proven how strong I was to you, Lei. It was so hard…so very hard to keep up with you. I tried, though, because I wanted to prove to you, to everyone, that I was good at something in life. That I was worthy of respect and trust! I trusted _you_, Lei. I guess I never really impressed you enough to make you feel the same about me." She took a step back and pulled her mirror out of her pocket.

Lei reached for her, icy dread spiking through his core, "Mysti, don't-"

"I guess I never belonged in the place anyway," she smiled, but there was nothing real behind it. Just a crushing emptiness that he had never seen in her before. It reminded him of the way he smiled sometimes. _**Is that how I look to her sometimes?**_ It was a sobering thought, one he wanted to erase. He took a step forward, intending to snatch the mirror from her hands before she could use it, but it was far too late. She'd already disappeared.

Lei stood there in the rain, staring at the spot where she had just been standing. He was scowling fiercely, thinking to himself. _**What have I done? I should have told her the truth long ago…**_ Then he became irritated when he remembered the way she'd spoken about herself. It had taken her such a long time to start believing in herself, and all of a sudden she was back to the way she used to be. _**What the hell is wrong with her? Where is all of her confidence? She wanted to be strong, and yet she acts weak in the face of adversity?**_ He clenched his fists angrily at his sides.

"Lei-sama?" Yuino walked into view holding an umbrella over her head. She looked concerned as she held out an umbrella toward him, "What just happened? I heard Mysti-sama shouting and saw her disappear. Has she gone back to the other world?"

Lei stared at Yuino, ignoring the umbrella she offered. He must have been imagining things, because he could have sworn that there was a note of excitement in Yuino's voice at the thought of Mysti having gone away. His suspicions about Yuino were becoming stronger and stronger every time he saw her. Yuino always seemed upset whenever Mysti was mentioned. Once she had said she was worried that Mysti would disturb his lifestyle, but he had to wonder if perhaps what she'd really meant was that Mysti was disturbing her life instead.

"I have to go after her, Yuino," Lei said flatly, "the girl has lost her sense. I intend to give it back to her. I will return soon."

"But Lei-sama…"

"I don't care if you hate her, Yuino," he said sternly, fed up with everything all of a sudden, "and don't bother denying it. I don't know why, but I think it's obvious that you want her gone. I am sorry, but having her around is something that you will have to get used to."

Yuino's eyes flashed with something dark that he'd never seen in her before, but the expression was gone before he could tell just what she was thinking. "I…I just want you to be happy, Lei-sama."

Lei sighed and turned back toward the castle. He had to find another mirror, and quickly.

--

Yuino watched Lei walk away feeling as though her heart had been stepped on.

Then she reminded herself that Mysti had just been dealt a serious blow. If anything, Lei would not find her in the other world. And even if he did, it was unlikely that Mysti would want to come back. After all, her good "friends" had betrayed her trust and kept secrets from her about her own family. Mysti would probably never trust any of them ever again.

Yuino smiled. She didn't care if Lei knew how much she disliked Mysti. Eventually, after Mysti rejected him, he would go back to the way he was. Everything would be just fine once Mysti was forgotten.

Yuino walked into the castle with a spring in her step and a satisfied smile on her face.

--

Mysti raised the mirror in her hand and prepared to smash it into a million pieces. She stared at the ground she was about to throw it on and hesitated.

_**What am I doing? They…they betrayed my trust! They kept secrets about me, important secrets! I never want to go back there again!**_

Still, she could not seem to convince herself to smash the mirror. Mysti lowered her hand and let it hang limp at her side. She spotted a nearby park bench with a trash can next to it. She walked silently over to it, hesitated, and then dropped the mirror into the garbage. Perhaps it would be broken at the dump, perhaps someone would find it and keep it for themselves. She did not know, nor did she care. It was time for her to stop pretending she fit in anywhere in Astale. And she had to forget about Lei too.

That hurt more than anything. Even more than the fact that Mysti had absolutely nowhere to go in this world. Her parents…no, her _aunt _and_ uncle_, had disowned her, and it wasn't likely that they would welcome her back after their last fight. She didn't really have any good friends on this side either. Most of her actual friends had been in Astale, so she was stuck with no home and no shelter. To top it off, it was raining full-blast here too. Apparently, the weather here was sympathetic to that of Astale. It certainly suited her mood perfectly.

Mysti wandered aimlessly through the streets where she'd grown up, searching for somewhere to take shelter from the rain. She eventually found a secluded alley and hid herself inside a large cardboard refrigerator box. It smelled moldy and it was damp, but at least she was out of sight and out of the rain. The dismal conditions gave her time to think about what she'd discovered.

Her real parents and her real siblings (she'd had siblings, for crying out loud!) had been brutally murdered by a madman. From what she'd read, the man had accused her real mother of insulting his family name. Then he'd proceeded to slaughter all of them, except for Mysti, who had miraculously been sent to live on the other side with her exiled aunt and uncle. Mysti had to wonder, had her parents known ahead of time that they were all in danger? And if so, why hadn't they sent her other siblings ahead with her? Mysti had been the youngest, and according to social rank, the least important. So why had her other siblings been killed and not her?

The only way she would know for sure was by finding her aunt and uncle and asking them herself. The thought was less than appealing, especially in her current state, but it was her only option. Mysti stood up and made her way back out into the rain. She no longer cared that she was getting soaked. The cold water kept her awake as she navigated her way back to where she'd spent most of her life.

The house was the same as when she'd left, and both cars were in the driveway. They were home. All she had to do was go up to the door and knock. She wouldn't even ask to be let inside. That wasn't what she wanted anyway.

She knocked, and a few moments later her aunt opened the door. An expression of shock blanketed her aging features for a moment, then her eyes went flat.

"What do you want?" she asked, sounding disgusted, "Have you been sleeping in a dumpster?"

"Did my parents know they were going to be killed?" Mysti asked point blank, startling the older woman.

Her aunt was silent for a moment, contemplating. "Why should I tell you anything?"

"Because this is the last time you will ever see me," Mysti said, not caring what her aunt thought of her, "if it makes you feel any better, you'll probably cause me pain by telling me the truth. I remember how much you seemed to like doing that."

The older woman looked outraged, but Mysti stopped her before she could slam the door in her face. She froze the water pooling on the front step. Her aunt looked terrified.

"You are a monster! Just like he said you would turn out to be!" her aunt cried.

Mysti scowled in confusion, "Like _who _said?"

Her aunt was trembling as she looked down at her feet, "The man who brought you to us. He said your parents had given you up because they knew you would turn into something terrible. That's all I know! They never mentioned being in danger at all. We didn't even know they were dead until a message came from Astale a few days after you arrived here!"

Mysti was shocked, but could not figure out just what it meant. And just who was the man who had given her to her aunt and uncle? "Did the man who brought me here have a name?" Mysti asked desperately.

"He never told us anything about himself, just dumped you on us and left after telling us that we had to pretend to be your real parents, that it was what they had wanted," her aunt scowled, "now get the hell off our property before we call the police! I'm sure your witchcraft worked well for you over there, but it won't do much good against an entire police force!" This time, when her aunt wrenched the door, it came free and slammed shut. Mysti blinked, and then began walking away. She had what she wanted…but it had left her with far more questions than answers.

--

Mysti was back in her hovel a few minutes later. She missed her nice home in Astale. She wanted a bath and a nice cup of tea. She wanted to talk to Airi about things like the nasty weather or love…and even though she was still angry at him, she wanted to see Lei again too.

_**Did they all really think that I was too weak to handle the truth?**_ She curled into a ball and sniffled, a single tear running down her cheek.

Suddenly, a thought struck her, and she had to ask herself if perhaps they had been right to hold the truth back from her. True, it had been wrong of them to keep such an important part of her life a secret, but what would she have done if they had told her right off the bat? Would she have handled it any better?

_**No, **_she realized, _**I would not have handled it well at all.**_ At the beginning she had been much more fragile than she was now. Finding out that her entire life was a lie back then would have been twice as devastating. Even now, it was a major blow…but she had the strength to recover now. She could stand on her own two legs as she was now, but not back then.

Perhaps they had not thought her weak, but had been trying to protect her?

Mysti wanted to kick herself for her own stupidity. Her temper had, once again, run away with her. She had assumed the worst, and like a petulant child she had run away. You couldn't get much more stupid in her opinion. _**I have to find my mirror!**_ She sprang to her feet and ran out of the alley as fast as she could. If she could find her mirror and go back to Astale, perhaps she could apologize to Lei and ask for a better explanation. If he could forgive her, that is. She grimaced, not looking forward to that particular conversation. There was no escaping it now. She would just have to live with his anger, for she was sure he was good and upset with her. She would find some way to make it up to him and the others. First things first though. She needed her mirror back.

Mysti found the trash can and laughed out loud with elation. She nearly slipped on some garbage that had been strewn about. It looked like someone had already gone through the trash. The smile disappeared from her face and she reached for the metal container, turning it on its side and spilling more garbage all over the sidewalk. There were numerous homeless in the area, and they often went through the public trash bins to see what bits of still-edible food they could scrounge up. The mirror had looked quite valuable. A little cleaning and any pawn shop would pay for it.

Mysti tore through the garbage until she reached the bottom of the bag. Panic sent tremors through her entire body as despair engulfed her. She sat there in the middle of the city park, covered in garbage and soaked to the bone, crying her eyes out. Someone had taken the mirror out of the trash, and she would never see it again.

--

_Whew. That was a depressing chapter, but we're almost to the climax peeps! Just a few more chapters and it'll all be done! I really am sorry about the monstrous wait you all had to put up with, but life just sort of happened to me…new job kept me super busy, then I got FIRED…then I spent a lot of time searching for another job, found one, and I was once again super busy. Add to that a huge amount of depression because of certain events and money situations, and you get zero inspiration. But hopefully I can deliver another chapter soon. I hope you all will be as patient as you have been. I really appreciate all my readers! Keep those reviews coming!_


	7. So Much Trouble, So Little Time

_Ah, sometimes bad weather can be a blessing. I would have had to work today, but we got a snow storm. I got the most wonderful call from work telling me I didn't have to come in today, so I decided to spend some time on my fanfic! I officially love snow._

_Enjoy the fruits of my labor (or lack thereof, as the case may be)!_

--

**Chapter Seven**

Mysti sat up, bleary eyed and exhausted, and yawned. She looked around her at her trashy surroundings and felt another wave of depression hit her. How stupid she had been, and now she was finally paying the price for it. She'd spent the last two days running around the city. She'd spoken to every homeless person in the area, and had tried asking around at every pawn shop she could find. There was no sign of her mirror anywhere. Whoever had taken it had either disappeared or was keeping quiet about it. Mysti certainly didn't blame them. The mirror was beautiful, and if she had any sense she would have hoarded the stupid thing like a dragon hoarded treasure.

Alas, her sense had abandoned her when she had most needed it. However, she could not give up. She would find that mirror if it took her the rest of her days. She had to get back to Astale and make everything right between her and Lei.

Mysti stood up, brushed the bits of newspaper from her soiled and torn clothing, and walked unsteadily out of the alley. She knew she was sick, because she was dizzy from a fever, but she had no money here and nowhere to go. It was either die or find her way back to Astale. Besides, it seemed she was unable to use her powers here. Whenever she tried to summon them up all she got was a headache. Perhaps her illness was what was preventing their use?

_**I just have to get back to Astale**_, she told herself as she made her way toward a homeless shelter she hadn't already gone through, _**if I can go home, then I can make everything right again.**_

--

Lei hovered above the city, a scowl on his face. The expression was going to become permanent if he didn't find Mysti soon. Two days ago, he'd been sure he would find her. He certainly had not been happy about where he'd appeared. A trash can was not a welcoming place to open a portal. He'd been a little angry that Mysti had so callously tossed her mirror into the garbage, but after he'd had time to think about it he could understand her feelings. She had been betrayed by almost everyone she knew in Astale, so it was no surprise that she would not want to return to that place.

_**But she has nothing to return to here either**_, he thought to himself, feeling slightly worried. It was taking him far too long to find her, and for all he knew she could be in even more trouble than she already was. She could be injured somewhere, and no one would find her until it was too late. The thought did not sit well with him.

Lei swept down low and began walking the city streets, just as he had done the previous day, and the day before that. He would walk the entire damn planet if that was what it took to find her. After all, he had something he needed to say to her and she was going to hear it whether she wanted to or not. He was also bringing her back to Astale, where he could keep an eye on her. The last two days had been hellish, and he wasn't about to go through that particular situation again. At least in Astale he knew she would be safe.

Lei moved silently through the mid-morning crowd, not paying attention to any of the people he passed. He was looking for only one person, and everyone else was irrelevant. He checked every alleyway, every shelter, but could find no sign of her. He'd tried going back to where the mirror had been dropped, just in case she changed her mind about Astale, but when he'd gone back all he'd found was the trash can tipped over with its contents strewn about the ground. It was likely that one of the homeless had seen him digging for the mirror in the trash earlier and had searched to see if he'd left anything else behind. He wanted to believe that Mysti had come back for the mirror, and had upended the trash bin in her search for the mirror, but he couldn't be sure.

He came to an abandoned part of the city and began searching every nook and cranny. There were numerous homeless in the area, and at least one of them had to have seen her. If he didn't find her today…well, he would go crazy.

An old woman rushed out of an abandoned building looking frantic. She ran up to an old man, waving her arms in the air in a panic. Lei walked over to the two of them, getting ready to question them.

"Excuse me, but I'm looking for-"

"Oh thank God!" the old woman looked suddenly relieved when she spotted Lei, "You look like a nice young man! Do you have a cell phone on you?"

Lei blinked at her, confused.

"There's a young woman in my home right now who is very sick," the woman said, looking worried, "I don't have the means to take care of her other than keeping her warm and dry. You have to call an ambulance for her or she won't survive!"

There was a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach, "Does this girl have dark brown hair and green eyes?"

The woman looked surprised, "Do you know her? She said she was looking for a mirror right before she collapsed, but never mentioned anyone looking for her."

Lei's eyes widened, "Take me to her."

The old woman nodded and motioned for him to follow her into the old building. Inside there were several cats that stared at him from among the ratty old furniture and piles of newspapers and cans. There was a fire going in the fireplace, but it did nothing to warm the chilly air. Lei spotted a bundled-up figure lying near the fireplace and immediately rushed over to it. He pulled back the numerous blankets and felt his heart skip a beat.

Mysti lay there unconscious, her cheeks flushed from a high fever. Lei was relieved to hear that her breathing was normal, and not raspy with pneumonia, but it still worried him that she was this ill. He picked her up, keeping her wrapped in the insulating blankets, and began to walk out of the building.

"Aren't you going to call an ambulance?" the old woman asked, looking concerned, "She's really sick."

Lei turned and looked at the old woman. After a moment he waved his hand and a bag of gold and jewels fell at her feet, startling her. She looked from the riches to Lei, looking absolutely confounded.

"You have my eternal gratitude for taking care of my friend," he said imperiously, "you need not worry for her health. I will ensure she has a full recovery. Don't spend it all in one place."

"Th-thank you?" the woman said, still confused. Had a bag of gold really just appeared out of thin air? She reached down and picked up a ruby the size of a golf ball. It refracted the light beautifully, scattering shards of red all over the room. She looked up after the man…and found that she was once again alone. She ran out her front door, intending to thank him for real this time, but he and the girl were nowhere to be seen. She looked back down at the ruby and smiled.

"You have a good heart, young man," she said softly, "keep that poor girl safe."

--

Mysti was hot. It was difficult to breathe with all that heat, but she managed to drag the stifling air into her lungs anyway. She had to find that mirror. _**I don't remember if I asked the old woman about it before I passed out or not. **_It didn't matter though. She would just ask the woman again.

Mysti sat up, her head spinning with the motion, and out of nowhere a hand appeared and pushed her back down gently.

"You have to rest," said a familiar voice, "I need you alive if I'm going to shout at you until you go deaf."

Mysti's bleary eyes shot open and focused on Lei. He was sitting next to her bed with a thick book in his hands and reading glasses perched on his perfect nose. He looked so handsome like that, with his hair all ruffled and his clothes wrinkled from having sat in the same spot for so long. She had to be dreaming. It was the fever making her hallucinate, that had to be it. Lei was not a nursing-back-to-health kind of guy. He was a let-her-learn-it-the-hard-way kind of guy.

"Am I…dead?" Mysti asked weakly.

Lei closed his book and set it aside. He helped her sit up and produced a glass of water, which he helped her drink from. After she was done he set it aside as well. They sat in silence for several minutes, and Mysti wasn't sure if he was wearing an expression of anger or…something else.

"You could have died," Lei finally answered, "but thanks to that old woman I was able to find you before that happened."

"Oh," Mysti smiled softly and looked down at her hands. She fingered the comforter she was under. She stiffened when she realized that she no longer smelled like sewage and that she was out of the rain. She looked back up at Lei in shock and asked, "Are we back in Astale?"

Lei nodded wordlessly. It looked like he wasn't going to say anything. _**He must be angry with me, not that I blame him.**_ When all he did was stare at her she took a deep breath and prepared herself. _**I guess I understand his feelings.**_

"I'm sorry," she said softly, "I know that it will never be enough to excuse my actions, but I was…upset that my friends didn't trust me enough to tell me the truth."

Lei scowled, "It was never an issue of trust. If we had told you when you first arrived here it would have crushed you. We only wanted to protect you, Mysti."

Mysti smiled sadly and looked back down at her hands, "I know. Those two days I spent back in the other world…they made me realize what an idiot I was. After I thought about it I realized the truth. I guess I still have a lot more growing up to do."

Lei snorted, but he didn't look angry anymore. Mysti glanced up at him, and giggled when she remembered where she'd left her mirror. Lei looked up at her, frowning, "What's so funny?"

Mysti giggled even more, "I'm sorry I threw the mirror in the trash. I'll bet it wasn't much fun finding it there."

Lei grimaced, looking horrified by the very memory, "It was an experience I do not wish to repeat." He stared at her as she laughed softly.

"I was worried about you," he said, startling her. Mysti looked up at him in shock.

"Really?" Mysti gaped, "You were worried about me?"

Lei felt his cheeks heating, and realized with a start that he was about to blush. _Him, _blush? _**Dear lord what has happened to me?**_ He fought desperately to maintain his control, but it was more difficult than he had expected. "Of course I was worried about you, you fool," he snapped, "you've been ill for the last three days. We tried to cure you, but nothing helped. Your magic prevented any of our healing spells from working. I thought you were going to…" He stopped himself before he could finish that sentence and cleared his throat, "Anyway," he said, "I'm…glad that you've recovered. We have things to discuss, you and I."

Mysti nodded, "Yes we do. First off, you need to tell me everything you know about my real family, including the man who killed them."

Lei stared at her, surprised by the steel in her voice. She looked determined, and suddenly he knew that she would be just fine. Gone was the sobbing child of before. Only Mysti, the Elemental sorceress and second head of the Deanoia, sat before him now. He resisted the urge to smile proudly.

"Very well," he said, "what do you wish to know first?"

"The name of the man who killed my family, and why he did it."

Lei sighed and sat back in his chair, "Bellator C' Ri. He is a former nobleman from a distant country. He was also a powerful sorcerer. He was an Elemental, like you. His core element was earth. As to why he killed your family…" Lei frowned, looking incredibly upset, "No one knows exactly why he did it. At one time he had been trying to court your mother…while she was married to your father. Both your parents had him arrested by the royal guard, but that did nothing to stop his efforts. Eventually, your family moved far away, telling only the king of Astale where their new home would be. Bellator was apparently very vehement in his efforts to get at your family. He never told anyone why."

Mysti thought that over for a moment, "The papers I read said that he accused my mother of insulting his family name."

Lei nodded, "That was the official report filed by the former head of the Astale prison where he's being held. The old warden was corrupt, and has since been replaced. Bellator refuses to answer anyone's questions about the murders."

"Why wasn't he put to death?" Mysti asked in a solemn voice.

"His sentence was for one-hundred years of torture," Lei answered, "then he would be put to death by the head of the Deanoia clan. Until you arrived there was only king Jeile, and he did not know of your family until you first arrived. Bellator has been rotting in his cell ever since."

Mysti scowled, clutching the blankets around her in a tight grip, "That's…good. I hope he stays locked away forever. I don't want him to hurt anyone else."

Lei looked completely sure of himself when he said, "I will personally see to it that he does not. You need not fear that man. He doesn't even seem to know you exist, and I intend to keep it that way."

She smiled sadly up at him, and Lei felt it strike a chord in his heart. "I wish I could have known my real parents, and my brother and sisters," she said sadly, "I wonder if they loved me. I asked my aunt and uncle if they knew they were going to die ahead of time, but they told me nothing that I could use. Just said that some man appeared on their doorstep and left me there. I would like to think that my parents loved me…"

Lei felt the overwhelming urge to reach for her. She looked so sad, and it pained him when that happened. He had no explanation as to why though. So instead of reaching for her, he masked the urge by standing up and taking his glasses off. "I'll let you rest now," Lei said, his voice somewhat unsteady. He paused, blinking in confusion. Perhaps he was the one getting sick now? His voice had never faltered before…

"Lei," Mysti stared up at him, a blush staining her cheeks. For a moment he thought the fever had come back, but when he placed his palm against her forehead her skin was only slightly warm. She blinked up at him, her blush deepening, "Um…I wanted to say thank you, for coming after me. I thought for sure you would just leave me…but I'm happy I was wrong."

He stared down at her in silence. His hand moved as if it had a mind of its own, gently stroking over her skin and cupping her cheek. Gravity seemed to have become heavier, as he found himself being drawn inexorably downward until his face was level with hers. Her lips parted slightly, as if she had been about to ask a question but had forgotten the words.

Mysti stared at him as his lips drew ever closer to her own. Her entire body was tingling with anticipation. Was he going to kiss her again? What would it be like this time? _**I love you, **_she thought as her eyes fluttered closed, _**so much. I wish this moment would never end.**_ She felt his breath across her lips, and her grip on the blankets tightened as they brushed softly across hers. His kiss was light, almost hesitant, as if he were unsure of himself. His lips brushed hers a second time, then a third.

He could barely remember what she'd tasted like after their first angry kiss, but he would never forget this time. She was the sweetest thing he'd ever sampled, and he felt a need rising within him to have more. He knelt on the bed and brought his other hand up to hold her gently as he parted her lips with his tongue and tasted her fully in a long, languid stroke that had her shuddering in pleasure. Her delicate hands came up and grasped at his shoulders, and the fire in his blood grew stronger. He kissed her more fully, and she moaned softly into his mouth. He pushed her down gently, molding his body to hers.

_**My God, this is bliss. **_He wanted more. She felt so _right _like this. As if she was made just for him. There was nothing but softness to her, and it felt like heaven. And when she kissed him back it felt like he could forgive her just about anything. His hand left her face to trail down her side. His fingertips brushed softly down her neck and over her collarbone, skimming the side of her breast slightly before settling firmly on her hip. She was shaking, but it was not from fear. She clutched him to her, silently demanding more from him. Lei smiled as he kissed her again. It made him happy, knowing that he was the first man to ever kiss her like this, to hold her this way. He'd never been anybody's "first" before. It was a heady feeling indeed.

His fingertips brushed the underside of her shirt, and she gasped at the feeling of his fingertips on her bare flesh. She trembled beneath him, gasping as she surfaced from his kiss, "Lei…"

He was about to silence her with another kiss when there was a sound behind him. The door to the bedroom opened to reveal a shocked Airi, Aram, and Yuino. Airi was blushing scarlet. Yuino simply looked as if she were about to faint.

Lei glared at them angrily, "Haven't you ever heard of knocking?"

Aram was grinning as he stepped forward, "We did knock, but it looks like you didn't hear it."

Mysti's entire face was beet red, and she threw an arm over her eyes in an attempt to hide her face.

"I take it the two of you have made up then?" Airi asked, still looking shocked.

--

Yuino left the room at almost a dead run. Her heart was beating heavily in her throat and tears were threatening to spill over her cheeks.

Lei had been kissing Mysti, and from the looks of it he would have gone much further if not for the interruption.

She'd been horrified when she'd found out that Mysti had been located and was back in Astale. She'd prayed ever since then that she would succumb to her fever and die, but it looked like she was on her way to a speedy recovery. Especially if she was able to shove her slutty little tongue down Lei's throat, the harlot.

So far, all of Yuino's hopes had been crushed. It looked like Mysti was indeed going to be a permanent part of life in Astale. Especially if Lei fell in love with her. He held on to the things he cared for. His loyalty was legendary.

There was only one thing left for her to do now. She had hoped to avoid it, but the bitch left her with no choice.

_**If she won't give up, then I'll just have to make it so that she has no choice.**_ Yuino grabbed a cloak and a pair of black silk gloves. She took off her glasses and set them on a nearby table. She didn't really need them. They were a part of her projected image of innocence. What she was about to do was as far from innocent as she could get, but she had to do it.

Yuino slipped out of the castle and into the darkness of the oncoming night.

--

After a few more days of rest, Mysti was back on her feet. She still wasn't at one-hundred percent, but she was quickly getting there. She saw Lei only a few times after that evening kiss…the one that still burned bright in her memory and brought a blush to her cheeks every time she saw him. She pressed her fingertips to her lips as once again the sensation of his lips across hers, his hands on her body, and his warmth enveloped her. That had felt so perfect, like they had been made just for each other.

"Mysti, are you okay?" Airi asked beside her, looking concerned, "You look a little flushed. Do you have a fever again?"

Mysti went scarlet and straightened up, looking everywhere but at Airi, "Um…I'm fine! Can we walk in the gardens today?"

Airi grinned knowingly, "Of course. I think that would be a lovely idea. I'm so glad that rain finally stopped. It's nice to see the sun again."

Indeed, after Mysti had woken up back in Astale the weather had cleared up. It was as if her happiness was reflected by the cloudless blue skies. The two of them sighed deeply in contentment as they stepped out under those skies. There were still a few puddles here and there, but everything was blossoming cheerily with life. Even the flowers seemed more brilliant with color.

"So," Airi smirked, "I've been wondering about what happened back in that bedchamber with you and Lei…"

Mysti stumbled and nearly tripped over her own feet. She righted herself and looked away, embarrassed, "Ah, that was um…"

"You don't have to hide it you know," Airi said understandingly, "after all, it's obvious that you love him. The real question is, has that thick-skulled idiot said so himself?"

Mysti stopped and stared at the ground, smiling sadly, "No, he hasn't…but I don't expect him to. I know that Lei doesn't talk about his feelings very much, and I don't want to force him. It wouldn't be right…"

"You wouldn't be forcing him to do anything," Airi declared, scowling, "because any man who kisses a girl like that has to be in love with her, especially if it's Lei. He never does anything by halves. He's probably just embarrassed by his own feelings." Airi grinned, "I thoroughly enjoy seeing him squirm every time he looks at you though. He's just itching to get you alone again, I can tell."

Mysti could feel a nosebleed coming on, "Um, what makes you say that?"

Airi smiled at her, "His fingers twitch, like he wants to reach out and grab you. He really should just give in, but he's too damn stubborn for that. He rarely gives into his baser urges. At least not in public. Things would be so much easier for the both of you if just came out and said he loves you. Even more so if he asks you to marry him."

"M-marriage?!" Mysti stuttered, "To me? That's crazy talk! He would never…I mean, I'm not his type."

Airi rolled her eyes heavenward, "Judging by the way he was about to completely ravish you, I'd say you are definitely his type, Mysti. Lei may be a jerk, but he's an incredibly loyal and protective one. When he finds something he cares for he seldom lets it get away from him."

Mysti hoped deep in her heart that he did think of her that way, but it was all a little too much to handle at the moment. "It would be wonderful…but to talk of marriage when he hasn't even told me he loves me. It's just too soon to get my hopes up."

"But if he asked, what would you say?" Airi held her gaze expectantly.

Mysti wrenched at her skirt nervously, "If Lei asked me to marry him…I would say yes."

Airi squealed with delight and gave Mysti a hug, "Oh that's wonderful! I knew it!"

Mysti laughed and disentangled herself from Airi, "But you can't tell anyone, Airi, not even Mariabel! This stays in the garden! I would die of embarrassment if Lei ever found out."

"Oh alright," Airi grinned, "party pooper. I won't tell a single soul. But I won't be surprised when he does ask you to marry him. Lei's not a fool. He won't let a wonderful girl like you get away."

Mysti blushed and looked away, "I'm really not that wonderful. There are other women far more suitable for him than me…"

Airi lightly pinched Mysti on the arm. Mysti yelped and stared at Airi in shock. Airi smiled broadly, "Don't sell yourself short, Mysti. You're one of the nicest girls I've ever known. Everyone, including Mariabel, Yuino, Nei-sama, and even Veedua-sama thinks so. Don't even get me started on the men-folk. They're all a bunch of besotted fools."

Mysti frowned, "Speaking of which, have you seen Yuino anywhere? I found her glasses a few days ago when I was walking around the castle. I haven't been able to find her anywhere, not even in Lei's office."

Airi looked concerned all of a sudden, "Hmm, I haven't seen her either. Normally she would be making her rounds, and she'd definitely need her glasses for that. Have you asked Lei if he's seen her?"

Mysti blushed, "Um…no."

Airi laughed as they continued their walk through the gardens, "I see."

--

It had taken her days to get here, but she had finally arrived. Yuino stepped down off her horse and allowed the stablehand to take it away. She kept her hood up. If anyone should recognize her as the prime minister's assistant she would be in a world of trouble.

She walked inside the prison to where the warden was stationed. She handed him a signed notice that she had expertly forged, and he asked no questions as he led her to the cell block she was looking for. Along the way some of the other prisoners whistled and reached for her through the bars. Yuino paid them no attention. They were the scum of the earth, and their lives had long ago lost their value. They were utterly beneath her notice.

Finally the warden stopped in front of the heavy iron doors that separated the solitary confinement wing from the rest of the prisoners. He whispered a spell and the doors opened silently. Yuino grimaced at the musty, stale air that rushed out from the corridor in front of her.

"The one at the very end is the one you're looking for," said the warden, "you have five minutes before we have to seal up this wing again. Any longer than that and things could get messy."

"Thank you for the warning, warden," Yuino smiled darkly, "I'll keep that in mind." She stepped forward and made her way silently down the hall. When she reached the door it swung open slowly. She walked inside and spotted what she'd come here for...or more precisely, who.

He was almost as beautiful as Lei, but his beauty was born of cruelty and evil. Evil was always wearing the guise of beauty. That was how he'd managed to slaughter Mysti's family so long ago. His beautiful face and even more sincere manner had lulled them into a false sense of security. He hated the Deanoia clan. Yuino didn't know exactly why, because that wasn't listed in his papers. But she did know he liked making deals.

She had a whopper of a deal for him.

The guard shut the door and locked it behind her, and she sat in the chair across from him. That was all that was in the cell. The prisoner, a cot, and two chairs.

"Bellator C' Ri," she said softly.

Bellator looked up slowly, his violet irises reminding her of ice. He pushed several tangled locks of his black hair from his eyes and examined her.

"What would such a lovely young woman want with the likes of me?" he asked, his deep voice sending chills down her spine.

Yuino ignored her fear of him and forced herself to smile, "I have a few things to tell you. Things you've been waiting to hear for a very long time."

Bellator eyed her suspiciously, leaning back casually in his chair, "What do I have to do to hear these things? And why should I care?" He stretched, the chains on his legs and feet jangling with the movement.

"Do you recall, perhaps, a family you tried to wipe off the planet nearly twenty years ago?" she asked.

Bellator scratched his chin and shrugged, "Perhaps, perhaps not. I've killed a lot of people, enjoyed every minute of it too, but I never make it a point to remember their names or faces."

Yuino's smile was evil, "You'd remember this one. Deanoia."

The instant she said the name his whole demeanor changed. He went from slightly menacing to the embodiment of terror. His eyes practically glowed with malice as he asked in an inhuman voice, "What about _Deanoia_?"

Yuino held out a photo she'd stolen from Mysti's house so that he could see, "You missed one."

Bellator actually growled as he stretched toward the picture, his chains creaking as he strained against them, "She's pretty. Just like that bitch mother of hers."

Yuino calmly put the picture away and smiled at him, his eyes assessing her, "Yes, but she's a little homewrecking slut. She's ruining my master's life, making him miserable. That's why I came to you."

Bellator raised an eyebrow at her, looking positively menacing, "Oh really?"

She nodded, "I thought I'd offer you freedom in exchange for your assurance that she'll be dead as soon as you can find her. Besides, who better to rid us of such a pest than someone who wrote the book on slaughtering unwanted whores?"

Bellator lowered his head so that his face was hidden. His shoulders began to shake, and soon his laughter began to echo throughout the cell, leeching out into the corridors of the prison where he was held.

"My little girl is all grown up now," Bellator said, licking his lips, "it's time I paid her a visit."

--

Lei and Jeile stared in shock at the message they had just received.

"How in God's name did this happen?" Jeile asked, his eyes wide.

Lei would have very much liked to have known the answer to that himself. "Bellator appears to have escaped using a ring off of someone who was paying him a visit. There are no witnesses…well, none that survived anyway. It seems he still enjoys slaughter as much as he used to."

"So there is no one who knows the identity of his supposed accomplice?" Jeile asked, looking angry, "This is terrible, Lei. This puts Mysti in immediate danger. There is only one thing that man wants, and that is the death of Mysti's entire family."

A jolt of fear shot through Lei, giving way to a surge of protectiveness that had him clenching the paper in his hands so hard that it nearly tore to pieces. He had sworn to keep Mysti safe, and there was a good chance that Bellator had no idea she was still alive. Still, he had to be sure she was safe. That meant he would have to keep her close.

"I will immediately alert the palace guard," Jeile said sternly, "it will be inconvenient for her, but until he is captured again Mysti will simply have to endure being guarded day and night. I will post my most trusted and powerful guards at her door. They will be with her wherever she goes."

Lei stared at the sculpture of a rose on his desk. It was the flower that Jeile had given him years ago when they'd first met. He'd had it encased in crystal to forever preserve it. Jeile, though an idiot at times, was Lei's good friend. It was at times like this that he was reminded of just how much that friendship meant to him.

"Thank you, your highness," Lei said quietly, "I will also guard Mysti. I made a promise to her that I intend to keep."

Jeile nodded, understanding, "Let's hope we can catch him before he finds her."

"Indeed," Lei set the paper down on his desk, resisting the urge to angrily tear it into pieces and throw it into the fire. He had a sinking suspicion that he knew exactly who had helped that monster escape. It was shocking to think that Yuino would go to such lengths to get rid of Mysti, but it was entirely possible. Adding to his suspicion was the fact that Yuino had been curiously missing ever since Mysti had woken up a few nights previous.

"Let us pray your guards find him and subdue him first, Jeile," Lei said in a dangerously low voice, "because if I find him and his accomplice there won't be much left of either of them."

--

_Le-gasp! The suspense! The horror! OMG I am such a nerd. I'm actually really excited about writing this. It's the first time I've ever gone that heavy on the make-out session in any of my writing (blush) for one. And secondly, I'm almost finished with it too! If I keep working on this I may have it finished within the next few days (or even today if I'm a good girl and eat all my wheaties). It will officially be the first story I have ever finished! I'm all happy 'n junk. I truly adore those of you who have reviewed! I'm glad you guys stuck with the story this long. Keep on reading and reviewing! I look forward to your feedback!_


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